Hennepin County, Minnesota, has decided not to file criminal charges against a 33-year-old state government employee who admitted to causing over $20,000 in damages to six Tesla vehicles in a politically motivated vandalism spree last month.
The Minnesota Star Tribune reports that Dylan Bryan Adams, a 33-year-old Minneapolis resident and Minnesota Department of Human Services employee, will not face criminal charges for vandalizing six Tesla vehicles in downtown Minneapolis over the course of a few days in March. The damages to the vehicles ranged from $1,600 to $10,370, totaling more than $21,000.
Instead of pressing charges, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has opted to file for Adams to be entered into an adult diversion program designed for first-time, low-level offenders. The office stated that their main priorities are to secure restitution for the victims and hold Adams accountable, believing that the diversion program will best facilitate these goals.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara expressed frustration with the decision not to charge Adams with what would have been multiple felony counts. In a statement to KARE, O’Hara said:
The Minneapolis Police Department did its job. It identified and investigated a crime trend, identified, and arrested a suspect, and presented a case file to the Hennepin County Attorney Office for consideration of charges. This case impacted at least six different victims and totaled over $20,000 in damages. Any frustration related to the charging decision of the Hennepin County Attorney should be directed solely at her office. Our investigators are always frustrated when the cases they poured their hearts into are declined. In my experience, the victims in these cases often feel the same.
The vandalism incidents occurred amid a backdrop of nationwide protests against Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who serves as an advisor to President Donald Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). These protests have led to the vandalism of Tesla vehicles in various cities, including the Twin Cities, and domestic terrorism attacks against Tesla dealerships, chargers, and repair facilities.
Investigators were aided by the high-quality cameras installed in Tesla vehicles, which recorded some of the incidents. The footage showed a man, later identified as Adams, approaching each vehicle and scraping it with a key while walking his dog. In some instances, it appeared that Adams was attempting to write something on the cars, with one owner suggesting it looked like a failed attempt at a swastika.
Adams’ attorney, Robert Paule, stated that his client is remorseful for his actions and is beginning the process of ensuring that the victims are compensated financially. Paule expressed gratitude for the County Attorney’s Office’s exercise of prosecutorial discretion in the matter.
Participants in the county’s diversion program are expected to sign a contract that may include conditions such as community service and restitution payments. They are also referred to services like chemical dependency or mental health resources, with the goal of reducing costs in the criminal justice system and the number of repeat offenders.
This is the second recent instance in Hennepin County where law enforcement has chosen not to prosecute a Tesla vandal. In Bloomington, the police chief yielded to the wishes of a Tesla owner and will not pursue a criminal case against a woman who caused thousands of dollars in damage to the owner’s vehicle parked outside a Cub Foods store.
Read more at the Minnesota Star Tribune here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
