Federal Charges Filed Against Tesla Arson Suspect in Arizona
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on April 29 that federal charges have been brought against a man who allegedly set a Tesla Cybertruck on fire in Arizona.
Ian Moses, 35, was arrested following the April 28 incident at a Tesla dealership in Mesa.
'Today, we are pleased to announce federal charges against a Tesla attacker arrested in Arizona,' Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote in a
Mesa police told NTD via email that officers responded to Tesla Service Mesa located at 7444 E. Hampton for reports of an explosion just before 2 a.m. Other emergency callers also reported smoke and flames coming from an area near the building, which officers later discovered to be a new Tesla Cybertruck.
Police found the arson suspect riding a bicycle toward a parked vehicle.
'During the investigation, officers noticed a suspicious van parked near Southern and Rowan. Officers watched as a bicyclist rode up to the vehicle and opened the door. An officer contacted the bicyclist, who has been identified as 35-year-old Ian Moses,' police said.
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The Tesla Security Center provided photo evidence of the suspect, and officers were able to match the images to Moses.
Moses was booked into jail for one count of arson of a structure and property.
Authorities said the department is working with the federal government in the investigation.
'Currently, ATF has Ian Moses in custody and per DOJ policy they are not releasing a booking photo,' police told NTD.
Footage from local media shows damage to the property and vehicle. It also shows the suspect spraying graffiti on the side of the building that misspelled the word 'THIEF.'
The arson on April 28 was one in a string of attacks on Tesla vehicles and dealerships across the country, in protest of CEO Elon Musk and his involvement in the Trump administration. Musk was tapped by President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and tasked with eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government.
Trump earlier this year said violence against Tesla dealerships will be labeled
Last month, the DOJ charged three individuals for the violent destruction of Tesla properties, saying the defendants would face the 'full force of the law' for using Molotov cocktails to set fire to Tesla cars and charging stations. Each defendant faces charges carrying a minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison, according to the DOJ.
'The swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing short of domestic terrorism,' the attorney general said in a March 18
Bondi said the DOJ will also impose severe consequences on anyone operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund the crimes.
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