Tesla vandals face up to 20 years in prison, says attorney general

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated on Thursday that three defendants accused of vandalizing Elon Musk's Tesla electric vehicle company could face up to 20 years in prison.

Bondi pointed out that the acts of vandalism against Tesla cars, dealerships, and charging stations constitute domestic terrorism. This follows prosecutors' earlier announcement of the arrest and indictment of the three suspects. Tesla dealerships across the United States have been targeted by a series of protests, vandalism, and arson attacks due to Musk's influence on the Trump administration.

Although the United States does not have a specific law against domestic terrorism, prosecutors can request longer sentences if convicted criminals have motives related to terrorism. Trump and Musk have also referred to these attacks as domestic terrorism. Supporters of the government have also reportedly been subjected to "swatting," where they are raided by armed police after false emergency calls.

The Department of Justice issued a statement on Thursday, but did not reveal the names of the suspects in the Tesla vandalism incidents. However, the details of the three cases outlined in the press release match the arrests and indictments previously announced by prosecutors. The suspects include 42-year-old Lucy Nielson, who was charged with possessing a destructive device and malicious property damage after being found near a Tesla dealership in Colorado. According to the criminal complaint, the dealership had been attacked with Molotov cocktails and graffiti, causing $5,000 to $20,000 in damage. The suspect has pleaded not guilty. Adam Matthew Lansky, 41, is charged with possessing a destructive device in connection with a Molotov cocktail attack on a Tesla dealership in Salem, Oregon. He has not yet entered a plea and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in April. The third suspect is 24-year-old Daniel Clary-Pound, who is charged with arson for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at a Tesla charging station in North Charleston, South Carolina, and spray-painting the parking lot.

Bondi said in a statement: "The days of getting away with this are over. Let this serve as a warning: If you engage in this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla property, the Department of Justice will put you in jail." The Attorney General stated that if the three suspects are convicted, they could face five to 20 years in prison. The BBC has attempted to contact the lawyers of the three defendants.