Man Charged With Tesla Arson, GOP Office Fire \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Federal authorities have charged Jamison R. Wagner with arson after fires at a Tesla dealership and the New Mexico Republican Party’s headquarters. Investigators found incendiary devices and graffiti linking Wagner to anti-Tesla and anti-government messages. The case is part of a broader DOJ crackdown on attacks against Tesla and other politically affiliated sites.
Quick Looks
- Jamison R. Wagner, 40, charged with arson and vandalism in New Mexico.
- Tesla dealership in Bernalillo was vandalized; two Model Y vehicles burned.
- Graffiti included swastikas, “Die Elon,” and “Die Tesla Nazi.”
- Wagner also accused of setting fire to New Mexico GOP headquarters in March.
- Republican office sustained severe smoke and fire damage; no injuries reported.
- Graffiti found near GOP office included “ICE=KKK.”
- Investigators found multiple incendiary devices and stencils at Wagner’s home.
- U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi calls it part of “domestic terrorism” targeting Tesla.
- DOJ and FBI launched joint task force to track anti-Tesla crimes.
- Bondi: No plea deals will be offered in Tesla-related attacks.
Deep Look
A New Mexico man has been arrested and charged with federal arson and vandalism following two high-profile attacks — one at a Tesla dealership and the other at the New Mexico Republican Party headquarters — both featuring incendiary devices and politically charged graffiti, the Justice Department revealed Monday.
The suspect, Jamison R. Wagner, 40, is accused of setting fire to two Tesla vehicles at a dealership in Bernalillo, New Mexico, in February. Investigators arriving at the scene found the Tesla Model Y cars engulfed in flames, along with disturbing graffiti, including swastikas, and messages like “Die Elon” and “Die Tesla Nazi.” The reference to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who is also a prominent ally of President Donald Trump, raised immediate red flags for authorities.
Court documents show that Wagner had no known prior criminal history but had previously expressed anti-corporate and anti-government sentiments online. Surveillance footage and forensic evidence led investigators to Wagner, who was taken into custody Saturday following a search of his residence.
Inside Wagner’s home and garage, agents discovered a stockpile of potentially dangerous items, including eight suspected incendiary devices, black and red spray paint, and a cardboard stencil used to spray the phrase “ICE=KKK”, the same message found outside the New Mexico Republican Party headquarters after a separate fire in March.
The Albuquerque office of the Republican Party was heavily damaged in that attack, with flames charring the entrance and smoke damage spreading throughout the interior. New Mexico GOP Chair Amy Barela confirmed that the phrase “ICE=KKK” was found spray-painted on the building’s outer wall, about 50 feet from the main doors.
In a statement Monday, Barela thanked federal investigators and condemned the attack as “an assault on democracy.”
“We are relieved that no one was injured and proud that law enforcement acted swiftly to bring this suspect into custody,” Barela said. “This was more than property damage — it was a violent act against the values we hold dear.”
Part of Federal Crackdown on Tesla-Linked Violence
Wagner’s arrest marks the latest in a growing series of federal cases involving attacks on Tesla property and other facilities symbolically linked to Musk or Trump-aligned institutions. Attorney General Pam Bondi described the incidents as a “wave of domestic terrorism” targeting what she referred to as “nationally branded entities under ideological attack.”
The DOJ has charged four other individuals in recent months in separate arson attacks involving Molotov cocktails hurled at Tesla vehicles and fire stations. In response, the FBI last month formed a joint task force with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to streamline investigations into what authorities believe may be a coordinated or ideologically driven movement.
Bondi previewed Wagner’s arrest during a Cabinet meeting last Thursday, where she told President Trump that federal prosecutors would not offer plea bargains in Tesla-related cases.
“At your directive, Mr. President, there will be no negotiations,” Bondi said.
Tesla, Musk, and the Political Firestorm
The attacks come amid a broader public and political conversation around Elon Musk’s influence, as he plays a central role not only as the CEO of Tesla but also as head of the Department of Government Efficiency — a newly established office under the Trump administration tasked with downsizing the federal workforce and promoting corporate-private partnerships.
Critics have alleged that Musk’s influence has led to a deepening divide between federal institutions and corporate power, especially as companies like Tesla continue to benefit from federal restructuring initiatives. Some activists have accused the company of fostering inequality through environmental and labor practices, though such grievances have rarely led to violence — until now.
Wagner remains in custody and is awaiting a detention hearing. Federal prosecutors have not yet indicated whether additional charges will be filed, though officials suggested that more arrests could follow as the task force continues to investigate similar crimes across the country.
An attorney representing Wagner had no comment when contacted Monday.
Man Charged With
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