San Jose, CA – Richard Tillman, 45, the brother of late NFL player Pat Tillman, was sentenced on Monday, June 15, 2026, to five years in federal prison for the arson of the Almaden Valley U.S. Post Office in San Jose. U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila also ordered Tillman to pay $2,371,682 in restitution to the United States Postal Service and serve three years of supervised release.
Tillman pleaded guilty in February 2026 to one count of malicious destruction of government property by fire. Prosecutors stated that in the early hours of July 20, 2025, Tillman intentionally set fire to the post office. He doused fire logs in lighter fluid inside his car, backed the vehicle into the building's lobby, and then ignited it, causing extensive damage.
"Richard Tillman, 45, gets 5 years in fed prison in arson of Almaden Valley @USPS post office in San Jose. He doused lighter fluid over fire logs in car, backed it up into bldg & lit it to make point to U.S. govt," Henry K. Lee reported in a tweet, attributing the information to @USPIS_SF, @ATFSanFrancisco, @FBISanFrancisco, and @SanJosePD. Tillman admitted his actions were intended "to make a point to the United States government."
Family members, including his brother Kevin Tillman, have publicly stated that Richard Tillman has been battling "severe mental health issues" for years, noting his frequent livestreams on social media where he expressed anti-government sentiments. Richard Tillman gained national attention due to his connection to his brother, Pat Tillman, who left the NFL to serve in the U.S. Army and was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in 2004.
The federal charge carried a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. Tillman received the minimum five-year term. The fire completely destroyed the post office lobby, which has remained unusable to the public since the incident.
The investigation into the arson was a collaborative effort involving the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the San Jose Police Department. Tillman was immediately remanded into custody following his sentencing.
