Grand jury indicts Fresno County judge on sexual assault charges, DA’s office says

A retired Fresno County judge was indicted Monday after a grand jury decided he should face sexual assault charges, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office said.

The indictment was unsealed Monday for the alleged sexual battery and sexual penetration by force, fear or duress by retired Judge Adolfo Corona, 65, the DA’s office said in a news release.

Corona pleaded not guilty, according to the release.

There were no details on the accusations other than they allegedly happened on March 14.

Corona had not been arrested as of Monday morning but was ordered to pay the $70,000 bail or surrender to Fresno County Jail by the end of the business day, according to the release.

The DA’s office confirmed Corona knew the alleged victim.

The hearing was held before Judge Joseph Kalashian, who retired from the Tulare County Superior Court. Kalashian would oversee the rest of the case, the news release said.

The next hearing was set for Nov. 14, and a tentative trial date was set in January. If convicted, Corona faces eight years in prison, the release said.

It was unclear if he had an attorney on Monday.

Corona was appointed to the Fresno County Superior Court in 2003 by Gov. Gray Davis.