MESA, AZ- An illiterate dimwit who misspelled the word “thief” (theif) is facing state and federal charges in connection with a terrorist bombing of a Tesla cybertruck at the Tesla Service Center in Mesa, Arizona, The New York Post reports.
Just before 2:00 a.m. on Monday, April 28, police responded to the center after witnesses reported smoke and flames near the building. Officers quickly determined the flames were coming from a newly delivered Cybertruck.
The attack was the latest in a series of attacks on Tesla vehicles, dealerships, charging stations, and Tesla drivers by unhinged leftists angry at Tesla founder Elon Musk for helping the Trump administration find waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government.
The suspect was identified as Ian Moses, 35, who apparently didn’t pass spelling in elementary school. During their investigation, the responding officers noticed a suspicious van parked nearby and saw a man riding a bicycle approach and open the van’s door.
Officers detained Moses and matched him to security photos captured by Tesla Security during the incident. He was arrested and booked on one count of arson of a structure and property. At the time, the Mesa Police Department said they were collaborating with federal law enforcement, and additional charges were pending.
Wasting no time, the Department of Justice announced Wednesday that Moses has been indicted on five federal charges, according to a DOJ press release. He is charged with Maliciously Damaging Property and Vehicles in Interstate Commerce by Means of Fire.
According to charging documents, the DOJ alleges that Moses was at the Tesla dealership just before 2 a.m. Monday, April 28, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, tan ballcap, grey pants, black boots, and a black mask.
Moses was seen placing fire starter logs next to the building, then pouring gasoline over them, the building, and three Tesla vehicles. He ignited the starter logs, causing the fire, which destroyed a silver Tesla Cybertruck. He then rode off on a dark-colored bicycle.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who last month promised domestic terrorism charges against anyone targeting Tesla or Tesla owners, issued a statement:
“If you engage in domestic terrorism, this Department of Justice will find you, follow the facts, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. No negotiating,” she said.
“ATF’s Special Agents and forensic investigators, working with the FBI and local partners, quickly recovered and analyzed critical evidence following this deliberate attack,” ATF Acting Director Dan Driscoll said. “This attack poses a serious threat to public safety, and the ATF remains committed to aggressively pursuing anyone who endangers our communities through violence or destruction.”
U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona said political disagreements do not give someone the right to burn down another’s business, saying, “There is nothing American” about such conduct.
“These ongoing attacks against Tesla are not protests, they are acts of violence that have no place in Arizona or anywhere else. If someone targets Tesla with violence, they will be found and confronted with the full force of the law.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Brendan Iber commended the Mesa Police and Fire Departments for their “dedicated work.”
“Cooperation with our law enforcement partners acts as a multiplier in our efforts to remove violent criminals from the streets and make our communities safer. The professionalism and extensive investigative knowledge of the police and fire investigators within our arson task force cannot be overstated.”
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said her office will assist the DOJ in the investigation.
“My office will be engaged in this investigation, and I’m pleased to be able to share our expertise,” Mitchell said. “We have a high level of success in prosecuting these types of crimes. My office stands ready to assist our federal law enforcement partners in the prosecution of this individual.”
Mesa Police Chief Ken Cost credited his Superstition District Patrol officers for their “outstanding efforts,” noting it “played a crucial role in this investigation.”
“Their swift action in identifying and monitoring the suspicious van parked near the dealership was critical to the success of this operation. I am truly grateful for their diligent work,” Cost said. “Special thanks also go to the Mesa Police specialty units and the partnering agencies involved. Your collaboration was instrumental in bringing this suspect to justice and enhancing the safety of our community.”
In the ultimate case of FAFO, Moses faces a minimum penalty of five years and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, along with a $250,000 fine for each count of Malicious Damage to Property in Interstate Commerce, if convicted.
The investigation is a joint effort between ATF, the FBI, the Mesa Police Department, and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond K. Woo, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is leading the government’s prosecution.
Comments
2025-05-06T18:14-0400 | Comment by: thomas
Prison time