A New Mexico man is facing federal charges for two separate incidents of alleged arson – one at an Albuquerque Tesla showroom and one at the New Mexico Republican Party’s office – according to a Monday’s Justice.
Jamison Wagner, 40, was charged with allegedly setting fire to a building or vehicle used in the interstate trade. The charge may apply to goods manufactured and sold in different countries, and the facilities they house -such as the Tesla display room or the Republican office, which also sells Maga trading. DOJ spokeswoman Shannon Shevlin told Wired that Wagner’s arrest had taken place on Saturday.
“Let it be the final lesson for those who participate in this constant wave of political violence,” the attorney -general Pam Bondi said in the Monday press release. “We will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will not negotiate. Crimes have consequences. ‘
Wagner’s arrest order claims to be responsible for an incident on February 9 in a Tesla display room in which windows were crushed and two Tesla model was set on fire. It is also alleged that he is responsible for an incident on March 30 at the Republican Party of the New Mexico office in which the entrance area was set on fire and set “Ice = KKK” on the outside of the building.
The arrest order also says that a chief investigator on Wagner’s case is an FBI agent specializing in ‘international terrorism, domestic terrorism and firearms’. This is the second known time that FBI terrorism investigators have become involved in a criminal investigation linked to the recent public setback against Musk and Tesla. However, this is the first time the suspect has also been linked to another incident – which in this case has targeted a Republican office.
The arrest comes amid repeated calls by Bondi, President Trump, Elon Musk, home speaker Mike Johnson, and representative Marjorie Taylor Greene to treat arson and vandalism of Tesla property as ‘domestic terrorism’. Five other people are currently facing federal charges of alleged vandalism and arson aimed at Tesla property, according to press releases by the DOJ.
As reported by Wired, law enforcement can access supervision technologies and have more legal space during investigations into terrorism than in other types of investigations. These investigations may also enable Musk and Tesla executives to access protesters’ oversight “Tesla Takedown”, although the protests were broadly peaceful, and the public protest organizers said they did not endorse property damage. The FBI may decide to share this type of information during an investigation with the victim of a crime, Wired previously reported.
Last week, Bondi triggered news about Wagner’s arrest in a television Cabinet meeting and told Trump that there would be a ‘big arrest’ within the next 24 hours regarding an attack on a Tesla dealership.
“The person will watch at least 20 years in prison without negotiations,” Bondi said on Thursday. (The DOJ press release issued after Wagner’s arrest has a complaint merely a allegation, and all defendants are innocent until he was convicted above a reasonable doubt in a court of law. “)