San Jose man convicted in brutal attack of mail carrier receives 10 years in federal prison

A San Jose man was sentenced to over 10 years in federal prison on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to a 2024 attack of a postal worker, prosecutors said.

The U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of California announced that Robert Cordova, also known as Robert Condona, received a 129 month sentence. Cordova was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2025, and he pleaded guilty to both counts of the indictment on March 31 of this year.

According to his plea agreement, Cordova admitted that he entered a United States Postal Service mail truck near Backesto Park in San Jose, intending to steal mail. When a USPS letter carrier approached Cordova to ask what he was doing, the 51-year-old punched the letter carrier in the face, knocking him to the ground. 

Cordova then climbed onto the letter carrier and punched him repeatedly in the face and head. Court documents showed the attack left the letter carrier with a broken nose, a fractured orbital socket, and a permanent metal plate placed inside his face due to his injuries. 

A press release sent out by the DOJ in February of last year also alleged that Cordova attempted to gouge the letter carrier's eyes.

U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman found that Cordova qualified as a career offender under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

"Today's sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime committed in this case.  Hardworking people come into your neighborhoods to deliver mail, they deserve respect and protection," said Stephen M. Sherwood, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service San Francisco division inspector.

Cordova has been placed in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service for transport to the Bureau of Prisons. 

In addition to the prison term, Freeman sentenced Cordova to three years of supervised release.