Apr. 14—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.
“Let this be the final lesson to those taking part in this ongoing wave of political violence,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. “We will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will not negotiate. Crimes have consequences.”
Wagner’s 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.
“The 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,” Barela said in a statement. “We are relieved that no one was harmed and are committed to ensuring that justice is served.”
Democratic Party of New Mexico spokesperson Daniel Garcia said the party is “grateful” for Wagner’s arrest.
“Should this individual be found guilty, we hope the U.S. Department of Justice holds them accountable,” he said. “Politically motivated violence and vandalism are never acceptable.”
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’s 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.
“With the support of our local partners, the FBI, and the rapid work of ATF’s forensic lab, we were able to link the crimes, identify those responsible, and take swift action to protect the public,” 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 “Die Elon,” “Tesla Nazi Inc,” and “Die Tesla Nazi.”
While looking at the damaged cars, investigators found a glass container with “improvised napalm material,” the complaint states.
Video surveillance showed a sedan parking east of the showroom and a man — later identified as Wagner — 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. “A small flickering light” was seen in Wagner’s hands before a “flame rapidly appeared” inside a vehicle, according to the complaint.
At one point, Wagner’s 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’s 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, “ICE=KKK,” 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 “I” or “H” on them, which was “substantially similar in appearance and position” to that seen at the Tesla dealership, agents said.
The “ICE=KKK” 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 “large flash of light” 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’s home where they saw him, the complaint states.
On Saturday, investigators returned to Wagner’s 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 “I” or “H,” and a cardboard stencil with “ICE=KKK” 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 Fernández, D-N.M., who had several days before the incident urged attendees at a town hall meeting in Santa Fe to “legislate, litigate and agitate.”
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 Peña for planning and participating in shootings at four Democratic politicians’ homes in 2023.
State GOP chairwoman Barela said Wagner’s arrest sends a message that anyone considering similar acts will be held accountable.
“Attempting to silence through violence, intimidation, or threats is not how the Republican Party — or any freedom-loving American — negotiates,” she said. “We stand strong in the face of hate, and we will continue to defend our right to participate freely and safely in the political process.”
Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Dan Boyd contributed to this report.