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Mesa Man Indicted for Torching Tesla Property
A federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a 5-count indictment against Ian William Moses, 35, of Mesa, Arizona, for Maliciously Damaging Property and Vehicles in Interstate Commerce by Means of Fire.
The charging documents filed in the case allege that Moses was at the Tesla dealership in Mesa shortly before 2 a.m. on Monday, April 28, 2025, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, tan ballcap, grey pants, black boots, and a black mask. He also carried a red plastic gas can and a black backpack.
While in the Tesla parking lot, Moses was captured on video as he placed fire starter logs next to the dealership building. Moses then poured gasoline onto the starter logs, the building, and three Tesla vehicles. At around 1:38 a.m., Moses ignited the starter logs, causing a fire that destroyed a silver Tesla Cybertruck.
Video shows Moses leaving the dealership on a dark-colored bicycle shortly thereafter. Mesa police officers arrested Moses approximately a quarter mile from the Tesla dealership at around 3 a.m., still dressed in the same clothes as he was seen wearing at the scene.
After his arrest, officers found a hand-drawn map of the area in Moses’ pocket, which included a box with the letter “T” marking the dealership’s location.
“If you engage in domestic terrorism, 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.”
“ATF’s Special Agents and forensic investigators, working with the FBI and local partners, quickly recovered and analyzed critical evidence following this deliberate attack,” said ATF Acting Director Dan Driscoll.
“There is nothing American about burning down someone else’s business because you disagree with them politically,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “These ongoing attacks against Tesla are not protests, they are acts of violence that have no place in Arizona or anywhere else.
Each count of conviction for Malicious Damage to Property in Interstate Commerce carries a minimum penalty of 5 years and up to a maximum of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented in court.
Moses is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment.
Key Facts
- State: Arizona
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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