Postal worker beaten, gouged after finding man inside mail truck in CA, feds say
A California postal worker was repeatedly beaten after confronting a man they spotted inside their mail truck, federal prosecutors say.
Now, Robert Cordona, 49, has been charged with multiple counts stemming from the November attack, including robbery and assault of a federal employee, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California said in a Feb. 3 news release.
An attorney for Cordova did not immediately return McClatchy News’ request for comment Feb. 4.
While the mail carrier was sorting packages at the back of their truck at a San Jose intersection, they felt the truck wiggle, the letter carrier told a postal inspector, officials said in a criminal complaint.
The truck continued to move, so the letter carrier peered around from the back of the truck, officials said.
They spotted a man, later identified as Cordova, entering the mail truck from the front window “with his whole upper torso in the truck,” according to the complaint.
After the mail carrier walked up to Cordova and asked him what he was doing, he exited the truck and punched the carrier in the face, officials said.
The attack continued as Cordova took the carrier to the ground, where he repeatedly punched them in the head and face, according to the complaint.
During the assault, Cordova used his hands to try to gouge the carrier’s eyes, officials said.
When Cordova got off the mail carrier, they yelled to those nearby to call 911, officials said.
The attack left the carrier with a broken nose and fractured left orbital socket, according to the complaint.
San Jose police officers found Cordova in the backyard of a nearby home, officials said. He was arrested after officers identified him as the suspect from the attack.
Cordova is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 6, prosecutors said.
This story was originally published February 4, 2025 at 1:08 PM with the headline "Postal worker beaten, gouged after finding man inside mail truck in CA, feds say."
