The Department of Justice (DOJ) charged a self-professed “queer scientist” linked to the firebombing of a Tesla dealership and the Republican Party of New Mexico (RPNM) headquarters in Albuquerque.
The suspect, Albuquerque resident Jamison Wagner, 40, was charged with two federal counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosives in connection to arson attacks at the Tesla Albuquerque Showroom on Feb. 9 and the RPNM headquarters on March 30, according to a Monday DOJ press release. This comes after numerous arrests have been made in connection to attacks on Tesla facilities, with many of the alleged vandals also appearing to be queer-identifying.
Wagner is accused of spray-painting graffiti on six vehicles in red and black paint with the phrases, “Die Elon,” “Tesla Nazi Inc” and “Die Tesla Nazi,” along with swastika symbols. He allegedly also painted “ICE=KKK” on the RPMM building the following month, prosecutors allege.
“Let this be the final lesson to those taking part in this ongoing wave of political violence,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi in the DOJ statement. “We will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will not negotiate. Crimes have consequences.”
Albuquerque Man Charged in Connection with Arson Attacks on Tesla Dealership and Republican Party of New Mexico Office
: https://t.co/XF0KIikbai pic.twitter.com/SFYKvUChxV
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) April 14, 2025
: Wagner appears to be a member of a group called “500 Queer Scientists,” which brands itself as a “visibility campaign for LGBTQ+” scientists, the Washington Free Beacon first reported. “I am queer and I am an electrical engineer,” Wagner’s biography on the site reads.
Investigators linked Wagner to both incidents through crime scene evidence and surveillance footage. He will remain in custody until a detention hearing is set, the DOJ said. Wagner faces between five and 20 years in prison for each count if convicted of the current charges, prosecutors say.
“This arrest marks a critical step toward justice in the firebombing that targeted a Tesla dealership and the New Mexico Republican Party Headquarters,” said Deputy Director Robert Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in the Monday press release. “A key suspect is now in custody thanks to the exceptional work of ATF’s Special Agents, certified fire investigators, and forensic specialists.”
Protests and attacks against Tesla and Elon Musk have increased domestically and internationally in light of Musks’ involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration.
“Hurling firebombs is not political protest,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in the press release. “It is a dangerous felony that we will prosecute to the maximum extent. The impressive work by law enforcement in New Mexico sends a clear message to perpetrators of all of the shameful attacks on Tesla facilities and political establishments: we are coming for you, you can’t hide, and you will do serious jail time to pay for your crimes.”
The Department of Justice announced federal charges in March against three people who set fire to Tesla dealerships in Oregon, Colorado and South Carolina, and additional arrests have been made more recently. Bondi branded the “swarm of violent attacks” as “nothing short of domestic terrorism” in a statement on March 18.
BREAKING: We have made an arrest in connection to the February firebombing of a New Mexico Tesla dealership and the March attack on the New Mexico Republican Party Headquarters.
We will be prosecuting to the fullest extent of the law. We are seeking up to 40 years in prison—no…
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) April 14, 2025
The attack on the RPNM headquarters was “fueled by hatred and intolerance,” the RPNM said in a statement on March 30.
“This is not an isolated incident,” the RPNM press release reads. “It is part of a disturbing pattern of politically motivated violence that has plagued our country — fueled in part by the silence and implicit encouragement from progressive leaders who refuse to condemn these acts.”
“A criminal complaint is merely an allegation,” the press release reads. “All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
The DOJ declined to comment and referred the Daily Caller News Foundation to the Monday press release. 500 Queer Scientists, Tesla, the RPNM and the ATF did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
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