Federal authorities arrested a New Mexico man in connection with arson attacks on a Tesla showroom and the state’s Republican Party headquarters in Albuquerque.
Jamison Wagner, 40, faces two federal counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosives, the Department of Justice said in a press release Monday.
The Albuquerque resident’s arrest is the latest in a series of criminal cases filed in connection with attacks on Tesla properties. The electric vehicle maker led by Elon Musk has become a magnet for controversy over his control of President Donald Trump‘s government-slashing DOGE initiative.
The Tesla showroom that was targeted in the Feb. 9 attack was also spray-painted with phrases including “Die Elon,” “Tesla Nazi Inc” and “Die Tesla Nazi.”
“Hurling firebombs is not political protest,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in the release. “It is a dangerous felony that we will prosecute to the maximum extent.”
Wagner is being held pending a detention hearing, the DOJ said.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison for each count.
Tesla and Musk did not immediately respond to CNBC’s requests for comment.
— CNBC’s Lora Kolodny contributed to this report.
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