Arson suspect indicted for setting fires at Tesla facilities, potentially faces four decades behind bars
Man Faces Federal Arson Charges for Alleged Attacks on Tesla Dealership and Republican Party Office
A 40-year-old man named Jamison Wagner from Albuquerque, New Mexico, is facing federal arson charges for alleged attacks on a Tesla dealership and the Republican Party of New Mexico's headquarters earlier this year.
On February 9, two Tesla vehicles were damaged by fire at a showroom in Albuquerque, and the building was vandalized with swastikas and the phrase "Tesla Nazi Inc." spray-painted on the walls. During the incident, Wagner is said to have scrawled anti-Elon Musk graffiti.
On March 30, the Republican Party's state office in Albuquerque was also targeted in an arson attack that damaged its front entrance. The graffiti found at the GOP site included the phrase "ICE=KKK" on the south wall.
Investigators found matching improvised firebombs and other similar evidence at both scenes. Surveillance video helped identify a white Hyundai Accent near both locations, and matching items were later found in Wagner's home.
FBI and ATF agents raided Wagner's Albuquerque residence on April 12, where they discovered fire-starting materials, the same type of spray paint, and a stencil reading "ICE=KKK," which matched graffiti found at the GOP site.
Wagner has been federally indicted on two counts of malicious destruction of property by fire or explosives, each carrying a potential sentence of up to 20 years. If convicted, he faces between five and twenty years in prison for each count of arson, potentially resulting in a total of 40 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi considers these cases a serious threat to public safety. In an interview with Fox News, she has directed prosecutors not to make any offers and has stated that Wagner could be facing 40 years in prison. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has reinforced the seriousness of the charges against Wagner by stating that hurling firebombs is not political protest, but a dangerous felony that will be prosecuted to the maximum extent.
Wagner remains in custody, awaiting a detention hearing set for April 16. This is the fifth arrest in the case of Tesla terrorists. The U.S. Attorney General's office is seeking 20 years in prison for each count of arson in this case. The attacks are seen as part of a recent spate of politically motivated arson and vandalism incidents targeting Tesla properties and politically significant locations.
The occurrences involving Tesla dealerships and the Republican Party office in Albuquerque, New Mexico, have been classified as politically motivated, falling under the categories of general-news and crime-and-justice. The 40-year-old man, Jamison Wagner, is alleged to have vandalized a Tesla showroom and the Republican Party of New Mexico's headquarters, and he now faces two counts of malicious destruction of property by fire or explosives, each carrying a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, as part of the ongoing investigation into these politically charged incidents.
