P
auline Coronado, a 73-year-old former Irving real estate executive, pleaded guilty to stealing money from people in real estate deals over several years. Dozens of victims have waited for more than eight years for justice.

    In court on Wednesday, Judge Brandon Birmingham addressed Coronado after she waived her right to a trial and accepted a plea deal that included prison time, probation, and restitution. However, the judge expressed concerns about Coronado's ability to pay the $433,900 in restitution owed to the victims.

    Coronado was accused of running rent-to-own schemes where people thought they were making down payments on homes but ended up losing thousands of dollars. Many Spanish-speaking tenants claimed she made false promises about the contracts they signed, which were actually leases.

    The case has been delayed multiple times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in leadership at the Dallas County District Attorney's Office, and turnover among prosecutors. Coronado was arrested in 2023 after dozens of people filed complaints with the district attorney's office in 2018.

    Coronado agreed to serve seven years in prison and 10 years' probation as part of the plea deal, but Judge Birmingham refused to accept it until she provides a clear plan for repaying the restitution. The court recessed, and Coronado has been given until Monday to figure out how she will pay the debt.

    Victims like Patricia Guzman expressed disappointment with the delay, saying they want to see a longer prison sentence for Coronado but are relieved that some progress is being made in the case. Coronado is accused of first- and second-degree felony theft involving more than 30 families across the Metroplex.