A 35-year-old man from Mesa, Arizona, has been sentenced to five years in prison for setting fire to a Tesla Cybertruck and damaging a dealership in April 2025. Ian William Moses pleaded guilty to the charges amid a wave of attacks on Tesla properties. The incident highlights rising tensions around politically motivated vandalism.
On April 28, 2025, shortly before 2 a.m., Ian William Moses, a 35-year-old resident of Mesa, Arizona, approached a local Tesla dealership wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and mask. Surveillance footage captured him placing fire starter logs next to the building, pouring gasoline on the logs, the structure, and three Tesla vehicles, including a Cybertruck. He then ignited the materials, resulting in the destruction of the Cybertruck and damage to the dealership's exterior wall.
Moses fled the scene on a bicycle and was arrested about a quarter mile away around 3 a.m., still in the same clothing. Police found a hand-drawn map in his possession marking the dealership's location with a "T." He pleaded guilty on October 27, 2025, to five counts of maliciously damaging property and vehicles in interstate commerce by means of fire.
On January 16, 2026, Moses was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release. A restitution hearing is scheduled for April 13. U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine stated, "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, "This five-year sentence reflects the gravity of these crimes and makes clear that politically fueled attacks on Arizona’s communities and businesses will be met with full accountability."
The attack occurred during a broader wave of incidents targeting Tesla dealerships, vehicles, and charging stations in spring 2025, with reports of at least 51 such events in the U.S. and 17 abroad, including vandalism like keying and graffiti. At least five federal lawsuits related to arson at Tesla sites have been filed.
