A federal grand jury issued a five-count indictment Thursday against retired Fresno County Superior Court Judge Adolfo Corona for sexual assault and obstructing an investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.

The indictment alleges that on March 14, 2024, Corona led a 33 year-old court employee into a courthouse stairwell where he sexually assaulted her. The indictment also alleges that Corona made false statements about the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault.

This follows alleged obstruction into an investigation for an earlier sexual assault purported to have taken place on Dec. 5, 2023. Corona allegedly had been alone with a 43-year-old court employee for two hours. That victim was then found alone passed out in the judge’s chambers, the release stated.

The indictment charges that Corona falsely told the FBI he left that victim while he drove to pick up a motorcycle. The indictment claims Corona tried to persuade a motorcycle service employee to change company records to falsely corroborate his alibi by showing that he had picked up his motorcycle at that time.

“We don’t have enough information to make a statement at this time,” Corona’s attorney, Margarita Martinez-Baly, told GV Wire on Friday. 

Read the federal indictment here.

Previously Charged, Entered Not Guilty Pleas

The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office charged Corona in July with a felony count of  sexual penetration by force, fear or duress; and one misdemeanor count of sexual battery.

Corona pleaded not guilty in September 2024 after the grand jury indictment was unsealed two months earlier. He posted $70,000 bail for those charges.

The alleged crimes took place during work hours at the main criminal courthouse, according to county prosecutors.

Corona retired from the bench on May 1, 2024, after 21 years as a judge.

The Fresno County District Attorney’s issued this statement Friday about the previous charges filed against Corona:

“The unsealing of federal charges against former Judge Adolfo Corona is a significant development. Our office remains fully committed to ensuring he is held accountable, and that justice is served on behalf of the victim. We are actively reviewing what this means for the state case and are in close coordination with our federal partners to determine the most effective path forward. While no final decisions have been made regarding our prosecution, we will continue to prioritize the integrity of the process and the interests of the victim, whether that accountability comes through state and/or federal court.”

Stiff Penalties if Corona Is Convicted

If convicted, Corona could face a maximum penalty of 40 years for the sexual assault charge and 20 years on each of the obstruction charges.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California, and Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar for the Eastern District of California and Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case. The case resulted from investigations by the FBI and Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.

Anyone with information about this investigation is encouraged to contact their local FBI office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or submit a tip to tips.fbi.gov.

(GV Wire senior reporter David Taub contributed to this story.)