A man has been federally charged with carrying out arson attacks against the Republican Party headquarters in New Mexico and a Tesla dealership, the Department of Justice said Monday.
Jamison Wagner, from Albuquerque and born in 1984, faces two counts of causing malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosives. He is currently in police custody and faces a detention hearing on Wednesday.
If convicted, Wagner faces between five and 20 years in prison on each count.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement that authorities would not tolerate “this ongoing wave of political violence,” referring to repeated attacks on Tesla vehicles, dealerships and chargers in recent weeks.
Tesla has become the target of peaceful protests and violent attacks after its owner, Elon Musk, became a key figure in President Donald Trump’s efforts to dismantle and shrink federal agencies.
“Hurling firebombs is not political protest,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in the statement. “The impressive work by law enforcement in New Mexico sends a clear message to perpetrators of all of the shameful attacks on Tesla facilities and political establishments: we are coming for you, you can’t hide, and you will do serious jail time to pay for your crimes.”
An April 12 court document filed in the New Mexico District Court shows that Wagner is accused of two separate arson offenses in Albuquerque: one at a Tesla showroom on Feb. 9 and another at the GOP offices on March 30.
Two Model Y Teslas were damaged in the first incident, prosecutors say, in an attack at 3:13 a.m. Graffiti was found at the scene, including “Die Elon,” “Tesla Nazi Inc,” and “Die Tesla Nazi.” Some of the letters in these phrases were replaced with swastikas.
Graffiti at a Tesla dealership in Albuquerque, N.M.
Investigators said the car fires were set intentionally and an incendiary device was found at the scene.
Surveillance camera footage showed a man prosecutors believe is Wagner exiting a light-colored sedan car around the time of the fire, wearing all-black clothing and carrying a white box, the court document said.
“A small flickering light, consistent with a transient ignition source, was observed in the subject’s hands before flame rapidly appeared inside one vehicle,” the court document said. “The subject left the area rapidly after the fire started inside one vehicle.”
Prosecutors say the second attack took place at the Republican Party of New Mexico office at 5:55 a.m., and the front door and lobby were damaged by the fire. The message “ICE=KKK” was sprayed onto a wall. Shards of glass incendiary devices were found at the scene, similar to those found at the Tesla dealership, the document said.
Fire damage at the Republican Party of New Mexico headquarters.
On Friday, the FBI obtained and warrant and searched Wagner’s home where they found eight suspected incendiary devices — some with the same handwritten “I” and “H” written on the lids — plus materials for making them and spray paint and a stencil bearing the letters “ICE=KKK,” and a black hoodie with red paint on it, the court document said.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
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