Federal authorities have used various surveillance methods to identify individuals accused of acts of domestic terrorism against Tesla vehicles and property, according to recently unsealed court documents obtained by 404 Media.
404Media reports that the DOJ has announced charges against three individuals for allegedly committing acts of terrorism and arson against Tesla vehicles and property. The charges come amidst a backdrop of growing anti-Tesla sentiment, with regular protests, acts of vandalism, and domestic terrorism targeting the company and its CEO, Elon Musk. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, along with Musk and former President Donald Trump, have declared that vandalizing Tesla EVs and facilities will be treated as domestic terrorism.
According to court records obtained by 404 Media, law enforcement agencies employed a range of surveillance techniques to identify the alleged vandals. These methods included the use of automatic license plate readers (ALPRs), social media monitoring, and fingerprint analysis. In other words, authorities are mixing the use of technology and traditional detective work to catch domestic terrorism suspects.
In one case involving the arson of Tesla charging stations in South Carolina on March 7, an incident particularly notable because the perpetrator accidentally set himself ablaze, ATF investigators reviewed surveillance footage from a nearby restaurant and an outlet mall. The footage revealed a white male suspect carrying a green item, later identified as a cardboard bottle carrier for Holland 1839 beer. ALPRs at the outlet mall captured the license plate of the suspect’s vehicle, a white 2006 Chrysler Town and Country van. This information led authorities to identify the suspect as 24-year-old mechanic Daniel Clarke-Pounder.
Further investigation into Clarke-Pounder’s social media presence and mobile payment app usage provided additional evidence. A search of his residence revealed a purple composition notebook containing a handwritten statement expressing anti-government beliefs and opposition to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
In another case in Oregon, Adam Lansky was identified through a combination of license plate lookups and fingerprints left on wine bottles used for Molotov cocktails. Lansky allegedly caused $500,000 worth of damage at a Tesla dealership in Salem by throwing Molotov cocktails at Cybertrucks and shooting at the dealership with a suppressed semi-automatic rifle.
The third case involved Justin Thomas Nelson, a man who calls himself a woman and uses the name Lucy Grace Nelson, who was accused of planting explosives at a Tesla dealership in Loveland, Colorado, causing an estimated $5 million in damage. Nelson was identified after a Flock ALPR system captured his Toyota Prius leaving a nearby parking lot. Police later followed Nelson back to the Tesla dealership, where he was observed wearing similar clothing to the suspect seen in surveillance footage from a previous incident.
If convicted, each defendant faces a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, according to the Department of Justice’s announcement. Police and federal officials continue to investigate many other acts of domestic terrorism against Tesla dealerships and vehicles.
Read more at 404Media here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
