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Man charged in connection to arsons at Tesla, New Mexico GOP headquarters
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A man is accused of vandalizing and setting fire to a Tesla dealership outside Bernalillo and the Republican Party of New Mexico headquarters in two separate incidents.
Jamison Wagner, 40, of Albuquerque, was charged with two counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosives on Monday. He will remain in custody pending a detention hearing that is scheduled for Wednesday, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison per count.
鈥淟et this be the final lesson to those taking part in this ongoing wave of political violence,鈥� Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. 鈥淲e will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will not negotiate. Crimes have consequences.鈥�
Wagner鈥檚 attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.
State Republican Party Chairwoman Amy Barela expressed gratitude to federal law enforcement agencies for their work in apprehending Wagner.
鈥淭he attack on our headquarters was not just an attack on a building; it was an attack on the democratic process and the values we hold dear,鈥� Barela said in a statement. 鈥淲e are relieved that no one was harmed and are committed to ensuring that justice is served.鈥�
Democratic Party of New Mexico spokesperson Daniel Garcia said the party is 鈥済rateful鈥� for Wagner鈥檚 arrest.
鈥淪hould this individual be found guilty, we hope the U.S. Department of Justice holds them accountable,鈥� he said. 鈥淧olitically motivated violence and vandalism are never acceptable.鈥�
Wagner is a registered Democrat, according to state election records, who has voted consistently in recent statewide elections. Wagner has a profile on a queer scientists group that states he was pursuing an electrical engineering master鈥檚 degree and had been interning for a national laboratory.
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent Certified Fire Investigators and forensic lab teams analyzed key evidence, uncovering a matching DNA profile tying the incidents together and identified Wagner as the suspect, ATF Deputy Director Robert Cekada said in a Facebook post.
鈥淲ith the support of our local partners, the FBI, and the rapid work of ATF鈥檚 forensic lab, we were able to link the crimes, identify those responsible, and take swift action to protect the public,鈥� Cekada said.
In the initial incident, a vandalism and fire were reported at a Tesla dealership on Santa Ana Pueblo land at 3:13 a.m. on Feb. 9.
When law enforcement arrived, they saw two Tesla Model Y vehicles on fire outside the showroom, according to a criminal complaint filed at the U.S. District Court of New Mexico. Along with the fire, the agents said, there was graffiti spray-painted on walls and five or six vehicles with messages like 鈥淒ie Elon,鈥� 鈥淭esla Nazi Inc,鈥� and 鈥淒ie Tesla Nazi.鈥�
While looking at the damaged cars, investigators found a glass container with 鈥渋mprovised napalm material,鈥� the complaint states.
Video surveillance showed a sedan parking east of the showroom and a man 鈥� later identified as Wagner 鈥� wearing a black mask and hoodie carrying a white box, agents said. Wagner then used spray paint from the box to draw graffiti on cars and the dealership, according to the complaint.
Wagner broke several vehicle windows before placing a fire bomb into two vehicles, the agents said. 鈥淎 small flickering light鈥� was seen in Wagner鈥檚 hands before a 鈥渇lame rapidly appeared鈥� inside a vehicle, according to the complaint.
At one point, Wagner鈥檚 hoodie fell back and revealed the top of his head before he left, according to the DOJ.
Several weeks later, at 5:55 a.m. on March 30, Albuquerque Fire Rescue responded to a fire at the Republican Party of New Mexico鈥檚 headquarters in northern Albuquerque.
When firefighters arrived, they saw flames at the front door and entry area, and graffiti on the side of the building that read, 鈥淚CE=KKK,鈥� agents said.
Investigators found a broken gin bottle and smelled ignitable liquids used to start a fire, according to the criminal complaint. Investigators also located two bottle lids with 鈥淚鈥� or 鈥淗鈥� on them, which was 鈥渟ubstantially similar in appearance and position鈥� to that seen at the Tesla dealership, agents said.
The 鈥淚CE=KKK鈥� was written in red stenciled letters that was similar to what was used at the dealership, the complaint states.
Investigators got access to surveillance that showed at 1 a.m., a person got out of a car and walked toward the building headquarters, agents said. Eight minutes later, surveillance showed saw a light moving across the upper part of the screen followed by a 鈥渓arge flash of light鈥� where the door was, which indicated the throwing of a Molotov cocktail, the complaint states.
Agents said they saw a sedan leave the scene that matched the description of the vehicle seen at the Tesla fire, agents said. On Wednesday, investigators hid outside Wagner鈥檚 home where they saw him, the complaint states.
On Saturday, investigators returned to Wagner鈥檚 home with a search warrant and found items including a white cardboard box with eight incendiary devices, red and black spray paint, egg cartons with material used in making the napalm, ignitable liquids used at the dealership and Republican Party headquarters, a jar with the letter 鈥淚鈥� or 鈥淗,鈥� and a cardboard stencil with 鈥淚CE=KKK鈥� painted on the perimeter, agents said.
The arson attack at the state GOP headquarters prompted condemnation from both major political parties, though Democratic Party Chairwoman Jessica Velasquez later accused Republicans of seeking to weaponize the incident.
That was a reference to GOP criticism of U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fern谩ndez, D-N.M., who had several days before the incident urged attendees at a town hall meeting in Santa Fe to 鈥渓egislate, litigate and agitate.鈥�
Meanwhile, the arrest of Wagner also comes amid fears over a national rise in political violence.
New Mexico has also seen politically-fueled crimes, including the recent conviction of former Republican legislative candidate Solomon Pe帽a for planning and participating in shootings at four Democratic politicians鈥� homes in 2023.
State GOP chairwoman Barela said Wagner鈥檚 arrest sends a message that anyone considering similar acts will be held accountable.
鈥淎ttempting to silence through violence, intimidation, or threats is not how the Republican Party 鈥� or any freedom-loving American 鈥� negotiates,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e stand strong in the face of hate, and we will continue to defend our right to participate freely and safely in the political process.鈥�
Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Dan Boyd contributed to this report.
