PHOENIX — A Mesa man was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday for allegedly setting fire to a Tesla dealership and destroying property, including a Cybertruck, in what authorities are calling a deliberate and dangerous act of arson.
Ian William Moses, 35, faces five counts of Maliciously Damaging Property and Vehicles in Interstate Commerce by Means of Fire, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
What happened at the Tesla dealership?
Prosecutors say Moses was seen on surveillance footage at the Tesla dealership in Mesa around 1:38 a.m. on April 28. Dressed in a hooded sweatshirt, mask, and carrying a red gas can and a black backpack, Moses allegedly placed fire starter logs near the building, poured gasoline on them and three vehicles, and then ignited the logs. The fire destroyed a silver Tesla Cybertruck.
Shortly after the fire was set, Moses was reportedly seen leaving the area on a bicycle. He was arrested about a quarter-mile from the dealership at 3 a.m., still wearing the same clothes. Officers say they found a hand-drawn map in his pocket with a box labeled “T” marking the Tesla dealership.
Officials condemn violence, vow aggressive prosecution
“This Department of Justice will find you, follow the facts, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “No negotiating.”
Authorities are linking the attack to a string of violent incidents targeting Tesla properties nationwide, which have drawn federal attention. U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine condemned the incident, saying, “These ongoing attacks against Tesla are not protests, they are acts of violence that have no place in Arizona or anywhere else.”
Community response and collaboration
Mesa Police Chief Ken Cost credited the swift action of officers in the Superstition District, saying their role in identifying and monitoring suspicious activity near the dealership was key to the arrest.
Federal, state, and local agencies — including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), FBI, and Maricopa County Attorney’s Office — collaborated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond K. Woo is prosecuting the case.
Each charge carries a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison, along with a potential $250,000 fine.
An indictment is not a conviction. Moses remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
