A former Fresno County Superior Court judge, Adolfo Corona, has been indicted on five federal charges, including sexual assault and obstruction of justice, stemming from allegations that he assaulted two female court employees and attempted to conceal his actions. Corona, 66, was appointed to the bench in 2003 by then-California Gov. Gray Davis and served until his retirement in April 2024.
The federal indictment, filed in the Eastern District of California on August 21, 2025, alleges that Corona sexually assaulted a 33-year-old court employee in a courthouse stairwell on March 14, 2024. Prosecutors claim he led the woman into the stairwell before the assault occurred. He is also accused of providing false statements to FBI agents and court administrators regarding the incident.
The case also involves a second alleged victim, a 43-year-old court employee who prosecutors say was assaulted in Corona's chambers on December 5, 2023. According to the indictment, Corona was alone with the woman for approximately two hours, after which she was found alone in his chambers, apparently having passed out. Corona allegedly told investigators he had left the woman to pick up a motorcycle and later attempted to persuade a dealership employee to alter company records to support this alibi.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment in August 2025. Corona has not been offered a plea deal and faces a potential maximum of 40 years in prison for the sexual assault charge and up to 20 years for each obstruction charge if convicted. Prosecutors have requested a trial-confirmation hearing for July 26, 2027, with a jury trial to follow in August.
These federal charges follow an earlier indictment by a Fresno County grand jury concerning the March 2024 allegations. Corona had pleaded not guilty to those state charges, which included sexual penetration by force, fear, or duress and sexual battery.