ALBUQUERQUE — A man has been federally charged with carrying out arson attacks against the Republican Party headquarters in New Mexico and a Tesla dealership.
Jamison Wagner, 40, from Albuquerque, faces two counts of causing malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosives. He is currently in police custody and faces a detention hearing on April 16.
If convicted, Wagner faces between five and 20 years in prison on each count.
An April 12 court document filed in the New Mexico District Court shows that Wagner is accused of two separate arson offenses in Albuquerque: one at a Tesla showroom on Feb. 9 and another at the GOP offices on March 30.
Two Model Y Teslas were damaged in the first incident, prosecutors say, in an attack around 3:15 am. Graffiti was found at the scene, including “Die Elon,” “Tesla Nazi Inc,” and “Die Tesla Nazi.” Some of the letters in these phrases were reportedly replaced with swastikas.
Investigators said the car fires were set intentionally and an incendiary device was found at the scene.
Surveillance camera footage showed a man prosecutors believe is Wagner exiting a light-colored sedan car around the time of the fire, wearing all-black clothing and carrying a white box, the court document said.
Prosecutors say the second attack took place at the Republican Party of New Mexico office around 6 am, and the front door and lobby were damaged by the fire. The message “ICE=KKK” was sprayed onto a wall. Shards of glass incendiary devices were found at the scene, similar to those found at the Tesla dealership, according to court documents.
The FBI obtained a warrant to search Wagner’s home on April 11. They reportedly found eight suspected incendiary devices — some with the same handwritten “I” and “H” written on the lids — plus materials for making them and spray paint and a stencil bearing the letters “ICE=KKK,” and a black hoodie with red paint on it.
In an April 14 statement, the Democratic Party of New Mexico voiced their displeasure with the incident.
“Should this individual be found guilty, we hope the U.S. Department of Justice holds them accountable,” the statement read. “Politically motivated violence and vandalism are never acceptable.”
“Let this be the final lesson to those taking part in this ongoing wave of political violence,” U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said.“We will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will not negotiate. Crimes have consequences.”
The Republican Party of New Mexico is asking for donations to rebuild the center on their website at https://newmexico.gop.
