On Wednesday, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a five-count indictment towards an alleged arsonist who attacked a Tesla dealership in Mesa, Arizona.
The fees towards Ian William Moses, 35, embrace Maliciously Damaging Property and Autos in Interstate Commerce by Technique of Hearth.
The charging paperwork filed within the case allege that within the early morning on Monday, April 28, Moses, wearing a darkish hooded sweatshirt and a black masks, entered the Tesla parking zone carrying a purple plastic fuel can and a black backpack.
Additional, whereas within the Tesla parking zone, paperwork say Moses was captured on video as he positioned hearth starter logs subsequent to the dealership constructing, poured gasoline onto the starter logs, the constructing, and three Tesla autos, and ignited the starter logs.
A silver Tesla Cybertruck was destroyed within the subsequent hearth.
Video reveals Moses leaving the dealership on a darkish coloured bicycle shortly thereafter.
In accordance with studies, Mesa cops arrested Moses roughly 1 / 4 mile away from the Tesla dealership shortly after the incident whereas he was nonetheless wearing the identical garments as he was seen carrying on the scene.
After his arrest, officers discovered a hand-drawn map of the world in Moses’ pocket with the Tesla dealership marked by the letter T.
Lawyer Common Pamela Bondi remarked, “Should you interact in home terrorism, this Division of Justice will discover you, comply with the information, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the legislation. No negotiating.”
ATF Performing Director Dan Driscoll added, “ATF’s Particular Brokers and forensic investigators, working with the FBI and native companions, shortly recovered and analyzed vital proof following this deliberate assault.”
“This assault poses a critical menace to public security and the ATF stays dedicated to aggressively pursuing anybody who endangers our communities by way of violence or destruction.”
“There’s nothing American about burning down another person’s enterprise since you disagree with them politically,” mentioned U.S. Lawyer Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona.
“These ongoing assaults towards Tesla should not protests, they’re acts of violence that haven’t any place in Arizona or wherever else. If somebody targets Tesla with violence, they are going to be discovered and confronted with the total drive of the legislation.”
Every rely of conviction for Malicious Harm to Property in Interstate Commerce carries a minimal penalty of 5 years and as much as a most penalty of 20 years in jail and a positive of $250,000.
