Feds Charge Three Over Molotov Attacks On Tesla Sites In Multiple States

Three individuals face federal arson charges labeled as domestic terrorism after a spate of Molotov cocktail attacks on Tesla properties in the US.

Federal Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced the charges on Thursday but a Department of Justice (DoJ) press release didn't name any of the individuals accused.

However, descriptions of the offenses and locations in which they were committed align with previously reported charges dating back to February.

One case in Salem, Oregon, involved an individual armed with a suppressed AR-15 firearm who threw eight Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership.

The Oregon AG's office described very similar charges against 41-year-old Adam Matthew Lansky earlier this month. Lansky allegedly threw the incendiary devices on January 20 and returned almost exactly a month later to pepper the Tesla dealership and at least one car with bullets on February 19.

The DoJ described a second case in Loveland, Colorado, in which someone again lit up a Tesla dealership with Molotov cocktails and was later found in possession of materials that could be used to create additional incendiary weapons.

This description matches that of the Colorado AG's office, which charged Lucy Grace Nelson, 42, also known as Justin Thomas Nelson, in late February following a fire at a Tesla dealership caused by a Molotov cocktail.

Days later, Nelson is alleged to have returned to the dealership to vandalize it using black spray paint, writing "Nazi," and prosecutors claim they then returned again to write unspecified expletives on the front windows.

On February 24, almost a month after the initial Molotov incident on January 29, Nelson was allegedly found at the dealership again and this time was confronted by police who found a container of gasoline, a box of bottles, and wick – the same materials seemingly used in the prior attacks.

The final case described by the DoJ was in Charleston, South Carolina, where a third person allegedly wrote nasty messages about President Trump around Tesla charging stations before lighting them up with Molotov cocktails.

This description matches the charges against 24-year-old Daniel Clarke-Pounder, who is alleged to have spray-painted the Tesla chargers with "Fuck Trump" and "Long Live Ukraine" before throwing five Molotovs at them.

"While we will defend the public's right to peaceful protest, we will not hesitate to act when protest crosses the line into violence and mayhem," said Acting US Attorney Brook Andrews for the District of South Carolina. "These kinds of attacks have no place in our community.

"We are grateful for the prompt response of our first responders and law enforcement. We must remain united in our commitment to safety and respect for all, regardless of political differences."

Each of the three suspects faces between five and 20 years in prison if found guilty.

While there is no specific domestic terrorism charge in the US – the charges in these cases relate to arson and possession of destructive devices – that hasn't stopped lawmakers and politicians from describing the attacks as such.

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"The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended," said Bondi. "Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars."

Everything's computer

Following a wave of so-called reputation-damaging "Tesla takedown" protests in the US, many of which have been peaceful, President Trump recently held a White House event to promote the brand.

Sitting in a red Model S, he described the car as "beautiful" but his "everything's computer" remark ended up being the main takeaway for amused onlookers.

That event, however, was also the first point at which he described the arsons as domestic terrorism, a label the DoJ has since also adopted in its commitment to stopping the destruction of Tesla properties.

He added: "You do it to Tesla and you do it to any company, we're going to catch you and you're going to go through hell."

And if it's not protesters seeking to damage Tesla's reputation, the company is doing a decent job of that itself, with a host of missed timelines or delivering poorly glued Cybertrucks. ®