On Monday, September 23, 2024, the Los Angeles Times reported that retired California Judge Adolfo Corona has been indicted on charges of sexual battery and sexual penetration by fear or force. The indictment follows an incident that took place on March 14, 2024, after which Corona, who stepped down from the bench in April, faced scrutiny over his judicial decisions.
The case has drawn attention due to its connection with a previous case involving Todd Thomas, whose daughter was a victim of sexual abuse. In 2017, Judge Corona sentenced Hugo Rabson, the man who solicited explicit photographs from Thomas’s then-14-year-old daughter, to three years of probation, a decision that Thomas vehemently opposed. Thomas had sought a harsher punishment, expressing frustration over the perceived leniency of Corona’s ruling at that time.
Following the 2017 sentencing, Thomas took matters into his own hands. He posed as his daughter in online communications with Rabson, ultimately orchestrating a meeting that led to a citizen’s arrest. Thomas shared his actions publicly on social media, which contributed to Rabson’s subsequent arrest by law enforcement. Rabson later pleaded no contest to charges related to lewd acts with a minor and was required to register as a sex offender, although he avoided the imposition of a GPS monitoring device during his probation period.
In light of the recent indictment, Corona now faces a potential minimum sentence of eight years in prison if convicted of the charges. He has pleaded not guilty, and his bail has been set at $70,000. The case is currently being overseen by a judge from Tulare County to avoid any conflicts of interest.
Source: Los Angeles Times
