San Jose Man Sentenced For Robbing, Assaulting Postal Worker

SAN JOSE, CA — A San Jose man was sentenced Tuesday to more than 10 years in prison for robbing and brutally assaulting a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier while stealing mail from a postal truck, federal prosecutors said. Robert Cordova, 51, also known as Robert Cordona, received a 129-month prison sentence from a federal court judge. His sentence came after he pleaded guilty in March to federal robbery and assault charges stemming from an attack on a postal worker.

He was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service for transport to a federal prison. The U.S. District Attorney's Office said Cordova entered a USPS mail truck intending to steal mail when a letter carrier confronted him. According to court records, Cordova punched the carrier in the face, knocking him to the ground, then climbed on top of him and continued striking him repeatedly in the face and head.

The attack left the postal worker with a broken nose and a fractured eye socket. Court documents said the injuries were severe enough that the victim required a permanent metal plate to be implanted in his face. On January 23, 2025, he was indicted on charges of federal robbery and assault. The judge determined that Cordova qualified as a career offender under federal sentencing guidelines.

"(This) sentence underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting federal employees who serve the public every day. Anyone who attacks postal workers--or any public servant--will be held fully accountable," U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California said in a statement. Besides the prison term, Cordova was sentenced to three years of supervised release after he finishes his sentence.

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