Retired judge is indicted on sexual battery charges

Todd Thomas was none too pleased when Fresno County Superior Court Judge Adolfo Corona gave his daughter’s abuser a no-jail sentence in 2017.

Thomas had begged Corona to give a prison sentence to Hugo Rabson, then 43, who had asked for and received naked photos of Thomas’ 14-year-old daughter. But Corona gave Rabson three years’ probation instead, infuriating Thomas at the time.

On Monday, Corona — who has since retired from the bench — was indicted by county prosecutors on charges of sexual battery and sexual penetration by fear or force. Prosecutors said the incident occurred March 14. Corona retired in April. No other details on the case were immediately available.

“I’m not surprised at all this judge is sympathetic to predators,” Thomas told The Times in an interview. “I think the county definitely owes my family a whole bunch but I don’t think we’ll ever see it.”

Corona faces a minimum of eight years in prison and would have to register as a sex offender if convicted. He pleaded not guilty and his bail was set at $70,000. The case is being handled by a Tulare County judge.

Former Fresno County Superior Court Judge Adolfo Corona, shown in 2005, has been charged with sexual assault.

(Fresno Bee)

Corona was appointed to the bench in 2003 by then-Gov. Gray Davis.

Thomas’ daughter’s case became news when Thomas posed as his daughter in a series of messages with the sexual predator, set up a meeting with him at a park in Clovis and captured him in a citizen’s arrest. Thomas posted his citizen’s arrest on Facebook and police arrested Rabson that day.

After Rabson pleaded no contest to the charge of engaging in lewd acts with a minor, Corona ordered him to register as a sex offender but declined to require Rabson to wear a GPS ankle monitor as he served out his three-year probation.

“I wasn’t impressed. The fact that they were going to give this guy three years’ probation. I thought they were being soft. How do I tell the next dad to trust the system?” Thomas asked.

Rabson completed his probation in 2021 and is a registered sex offender.

Following the closure of his daughter’s case, Thomas created a nonprofit called Fathership. The group helps men who are dealing with issues like anger management and domestic violence.

“The case caused me to create something to help my community of men in the world today,” Thomas said.