1. A system for reducing lead edge (LE) smearing in an electrostatographic machine, the system comprising: a pretransfer corotron positioned between a developing station and a transfer station in a electrostatographic imaging device, the pretransfer corotron for applying a predetermined charge to at least a portion of a developed toner image on a photoreceptive surface, the predetermined charge being greater than a charge applied to the rest of the developed toner image; and a controller operably associated with said pretransfer corotron, said controller for activating said pretransfer corotron to apply said predetermined charge to the developed toner image at a lead edge region of the developed toner image.