Ian William Moses, a 35-year-old resident of Mesa, Arizona, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for setting fire to a Tesla vehicle and the Tesla dealership in Mesa. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa on January 13, 2026. After his release from prison, Moses will be subject to three years of supervised release. A restitution hearing is scheduled for April 13, 2026.
Moses was indicted by a federal grand jury in Phoenix on five counts related to maliciously damaging property and vehicles by means of fire. He pleaded guilty to all charges on October 27, 2025.
“Arson can never be an acceptable part of American politics. Mr. Moses’ actions endangered the public and first responders and could have easily turned deadly,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “This five-year sentence reflects the gravity of these crimes and makes clear that politically fueled attacks on Arizona’s communities and businesses will be met with full accountability.”
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell stated: “This sentence sends a clear message: violence and intimidation have no place in our community. Setting fire to a business in retaliation for political or personal grievances is not protest—it is a crime. Our community deserves to feel safe, and this sentence underscores that Maricopa County will not tolerate political violence in any form.”
Court documents reveal that surveillance footage captured Moses at the Tesla dealership just before 2 a.m. on April 28, 2025. He was wearing dark clothing and carried items including a red plastic gas can and black backpack. The video shows him placing fire starter logs next to the building, pouring gasoline over them as well as onto three Tesla vehicles, then igniting the logs at around 1:38 a.m., resulting in the destruction of a silver Tesla Cybertruck. Moses left the scene on a bicycle.
Mesa police arrested Moses about a quarter mile from the dealership around an hour later; he was still dressed as seen in surveillance footage from the scene. Officers found a hand-drawn map marking the location of the dealership in his possession.
“Arson is a violent crime, that not only endangers members of our community, but our first responders as well,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn Stallo. “Our certified fire investigators, supported by the National Fire Research Laboratory, enables ATF to work with our local, state, and federal agencies to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.”
Chief Dan Butler of Mesa Police Department commented: “The safety of our community is of the utmost importance to the Mesa Police Department,” adding that violence or malicious actions leading to potential injury or death are not tolerated by his department.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), FBI Phoenix Field Office, Mesa Police Department, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for Arizona.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond K. Woo prosecuted alongside Maricopa Deputy County Attorney Luke Coyne.
