San Jose man pleads guilty to attacking mail carrier, faces decades in prison

A San Jose man is facing decades in federal prison after he pled guilty to robbing and attacking a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, prosecutors said.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California announced 49-year-old Robert Cordova, also known as Robert Cordona, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery of a United States mail carrier and one count of assaulting a federal employee.

Cordova was indicted in early 2025 in connection with an incident on Nov. 22. 2024 near Taylor and 13th Streets.

Prosecutors said Cordova admitted he went inside a mail truck. When a letter carrier approached him as he was stealing mail, Cordova punched the victim in the face and knocked him to the ground.

Cordova then got on top of the victim and punched him several times in the face and head. The victim suffered a broken nose and a fractured left orbital socket.

Officers found Cordova in the backyard of a home near where the incident took place.

Prosecutors said Cordova faces up to 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the robbery conviction and 20 years and a $250,000 fine on the assault conviction.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 2.