Justice Department charges man with arson at New Mexico Tesla dealership and GOP headquarters

1 of 3 |  

The charred doors that used to make up the entrance to the Republican Party of New Mexico headquarters are propped up behind yellow caution tape in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

2 of 3 |  

Graffiti is seen on the Republican Party of New Mexico headquarters behind yellow tape in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Monday, March 31, 2025 (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

3 of 3 |  

The charred entrance doors to the Republican Party of New Mexico headquarters sit propped up behind yellow tape in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

By  ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and ERIC TUCKERUpdated 3:04 PM MST, April 14, 2025Share

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has charged a man with vandalizing a Tesla dealership in New Mexico and setting fire to the headquarters of the state Republican Party, according to court records unsealed Monday.

A criminal complaint charges Jamison R. Wagner, 40, with federal arson -related crimes in the fire last month and the vandalism in February at a Tesla dealership in Bernalillo, where authorities found two Tesla Model Y vehicles ablaze as well as swastika symbols on windshields and spray-painted graffiti messages including “Die Elon” and “Die Tesla Nazi.”

Elon Musk is the billionaire CEO of Tesla and a close ally of President Donald Trump who has helped engineer a massive downsizing of the federal government and purge of employees.

The arrest is part of a federal crackdown on what Attorney General Pam Bondi has described as a wave of domestic terrorism against property carrying the logo of Musk’s electric-car company. Bondi previewed the arrest Thursday during a Cabinet meeting to highlight federal law enforcements’ efforts to go after vandals in recent weeks who have been targeting Tesla.

Advertisement