BOSTON (CHATNEWSTV) — A Kansas City man attending college in Boston was arrested Friday and charged in connection with a firebombing that destroyed two Tesla Cybertrucks in Missouri last month, federal officials said.
Owen McIntire, 19, was taken into custody and appeared in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts to face two federal charges: unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device and malicious damage by fire to property used in interstate commerce.
“Let me be extremely clear to anyone who still wants to firebomb a Tesla property: you will not evade us,” said U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “You will be arrested. You will be prosecuted. You will spend decades behind bars. It is not worth it.”
The attack occurred on March 17 at the Kansas City Tesla Center, where an officer noticed a Cybertruck in flames just after 11 p.m., according to court documents unsealed Friday. A Molotov cocktail was found near the vehicle, and the fire spread to another Cybertruck parked nearby. Two charging stations were also damaged.
“This wasn’t vandalism — it was a violent criminal act,” said Dan Driscoll, acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “ATF will not tolerate those who incite political violence in our communities.”
The damaged Cybertrucks were valued at more than $100,000 each. The fire also destroyed two charging stations, officials said.
“This is the second arrest this week of a suspect charged with targeting Tesla, more proof that the FBI will not stand for these destructive acts,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “These actions are dangerous, they are illegal, and we are going to arrest those responsible.”
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said no leniency would be offered to those responsible for what he described as “violent and dangerous attacks.”
“Crimes have consequences,” Blanche said. “We will not make deals and we will not negotiate.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Foley and Trey Alford of the Western District of Missouri, along with Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the Justice Department’s Counterterrorism Section.
McIntire has not entered a plea. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
