Richard Tillman, the brother of former NFL player and Army Ranger Pat Tillman, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for setting fire to a California post office last year, per San Jose Inside.
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U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila imposed the sentence on Thursday after Tillman, 45, pleaded guilty in February to one count of malicious destruction of government property by fire.
According to federal prosecutors, Tillman admitted to intentionally setting a fire at the Almaden Valley Post Office in San Jose on July 20, 2025.
Court documents state that Tillman purchased firelogs and lighter fluid before driving to the post office. Prosecutors said he backed his vehicle through the building's front entrance, spread lighter fluid throughout the vehicle, ignited it and left the scene.
The fire quickly spread from the vehicle to the building, causing extensive damage and destroying the facility's lobby.
Authorities said Tillman acknowledged setting the fire in an effort to "make a point to the United States government."
The post office lobby had been used for retail transactions and post office box access before the fire. Officials said it has remained unavailable to the public since the incident.
In addition to the prison sentence, Davila ordered Tillman to serve three years of supervised release and pay $2.37 million in restitution to the U.S. Postal Service.
Federal authorities said Tillman began serving his sentence immediately following Thursday's hearing.
Pat Tillman became a national figure after leaving the NFL to join the U.S. Army following the Sept. 11 attacks. He was killed while serving in Afghanistan in 2004.
