An activist who carried out a deliberate arson attack on a Tesla car dealership has been handed a significant prison sentence, after a pair of embarrassing errors led directly to his capture.
Flawed Plot and Fatal Mistakes
Ian William Moses, 35, was captured on surveillance footage approaching the Tesla dealership in Mesa, Arizona, on 25th April last year. The video showed him carrying a red plastic petrol can. He proceeded to place fire starter logs against the building, douse the structure and three vehicles in gasoline, and ignite a blaze that destroyed a silver Cybertruck.
In addition to the fire, Moses spray-painted the building. However, he made a critical error by misspelling the word 'thief' as 'theif'. He then fled the scene on a bicycle but was arrested shortly afterwards.
His identification was straightforward for law enforcement, as he was found wearing the exact same clothing seen in the surveillance video. A further damning piece of evidence was discovered in his pocket: a hand-drawn map of the local area featuring a box marked with the letter 'T', clearly indicating the Tesla dealership's location.
Sentencing and Official Condemnation
Moses pleaded guilty to federal charges of maliciously damaging property and vehicles by means of fire. On Tuesday, he was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by an additional 36 months of supervised release. A restitution hearing scheduled for 13th April will determine the financial penalty he must pay for the damage caused.
US Attorney Timothy Courchaine strongly condemned the act, stating, "Arson can never be an acceptable part of American politics. Mr. Moses' actions endangered the public and first responders and could have easily turned deadly." He added that the five-year term "reflects the gravity of these crimes" and sends a clear message that such attacks will be met with full accountability.
The incident was part of a series of arson attacks targeting Tesla dealerships last year, acts which were reportedly in retaliation for the car manufacturer's CEO, Elon Musk, and his perceived ties to the previous Trump administration.
Broader Context and a Separate Case
Attorney General Pam Bondi labelled Moses' attack as 'domestic terrorism' and vowed to prosecute such offenders to the fullest extent of the law. Following his indictment last April, she posted on X, "If you engage in domestic terrorism, this Department of Justice will find you, follow the facts, and prosecute you... No negotiating."
In a related but separate case, another individual is facing serious charges for similar alleged actions. Owen McIntire, a 19-year-old from Kansas City, Missouri, is accused of firebombing two Tesla Cybertrucks with a Molotov cocktail on 17th March 2025. He has denied federal charges of malicious destruction of property and unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device.
If found guilty on all counts, McIntire could face a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. His trial is currently scheduled to begin on 10th August.
