Two Suspects Arrested in Armed Robberies of Mail Carriers in Palm Desert and Cathedral City

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department has confirmed the arrest of two suspects accused of robbing U.S. mail carriers at gunpoint in Palm Desert and Cathedral City.

32-year-old Luis Gonzalez of Victorville and 28-year-old Jose Chavarria of Los Angeles were taken into custody on March 28 during an unrelated vehicle stop in Burbank. Investigators later linked the pair to a string of armed robberies targeting U.S. Postal Service workers in the Coachella Valley and the Los Angeles area.

The suspects are believed to have stolen keys and mail while threatening carriers with firearms. These types of robberies are federal offenses and have drawn increased attention from both local law enforcement and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

According to jail records, Gonzalez and Chavarria were booked into separate detention centers and are being held on various bail amounts.

Authorities have not said if additional suspects are being sought, but the investigation remains ongoing.

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