Former Judge Guilty of Making False Statement to Feds

TYLER — A 49-year-old former municipal court judge has pleaded guilty to making a false statement to federal investigators in the Eastern District of Texas announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales Thursday. Monica Lynn Corker, of Kemp, pleaded guilty Nov. 17 to making a false statement. The plea came in Tyler before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith K. Guthrie.

According to information presented in court, on Sep. 17, 2009, Corker was the municipal court judge for the City of Seven Points, when she was interviewed by federal agents. During the interview, Corker was specifically asked if she had ever deleted from the computer server of the Seven Points Municipal Court entries concerning criminal misdemeanor cases pending, or that had been pending, before the municipal court. Corker told the FBI that she had only deleted entries that were duplicates or erroneous entries, a statement which she knew to be untrue. Corker was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 3, 2010. Corker faces up to 5 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.