An attorney for Corona, W. Scott Quinlan, argued the count with the greatest potential sentence \u2014 deprivation of rights under color of law \u2014 did not apply to his client in the allegations.<\/p>\n
He said the prosecution alleges Corona was meeting the 32-year-old court employee in the stairwell<\/a> for personal reasons not related to work.<\/p>\n \u201cShe was not under him or subject to his control or authority,\u201d Quinlan said in federal court on Monday. \u201cShe was just someone working in the building. He was just someone else working in the building.\u201d<\/p>\n The argument \u201cmay have legs\u201d in front of a jury, but those arguments were not enough to win a dismissal of the counts, according to U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff.<\/p>\n \u201cThis hearing\u2019s about whether they\u2019ve alleged it, not can they prove it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n If convicted, Corona could be sentenced to 40 years in prison for sexual assault and 20 years each for the obstruction charges.<\/p>\n Corona\u2019s next court appearance is April 8, according to the court docket.<\/p>\n Retired Judge Adolfo Corona accused of sexual assault<\/p>\n The 66-year-old retired from the Fresno County Superior Court in April 2024, a month after the alleged assault in the court stairwell<\/a>.<\/p>\n A court filing includes an email conversation between Corona and the assistant on the day of the alleged assault in which they shared mundane gripes about bills before he offered to give the assistant a gift.<\/p>\n \u201cI am here today in (Courtroom) 61. Have candy for (redacted) and will have something for you,\u201d Corona wrote in the email to the assistant. \u201cStill on the bench though. I will let you know when I am done.\u201d<\/p>\n Prosecutors allege investigators were looking into a second victim and Corona attempted to obstruct the investigation, and lied to the FBI.<\/p>\n They allege a woman was found alone and unconscious with her pants unbuttoned in Corona\u2019s chambers on Dec. 5, 2023. Corona and the woman had been in the chambers for about two hours, prosecutors say.<\/p>\n The judge told investigators he went to pick up a motorcycle, according to prosecutors. Investigators said Corona attempted to sway a dealership employee to change paperwork to make his story appear true.<\/p>\n Adolfo Corona, 65, a retired Fresno Superior Court judge, was indicted Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, of sexual assault charges, the Fresno County District Attorney\u2019s Office said. This is an undated file photo. Fresno Bee file
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