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 dealership in Mesa. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa on January 13, 2026. In addition to the prison term, Moses will serve 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.”
According to court documents, surveillance footage showed Moses at the Tesla dealership shortly before 2 a.m. on April 28, 2025. He wore dark clothing, carried a red plastic gas can and black backpack, placed fire starter logs next to the building, poured gasoline onto them as well as onto three Tesla vehicles and the building itself, then ignited the logs at around 1:38 a.m., causing a fire that destroyed a silver Tesla Cybertruck. He left the scene by bicycle.
Mesa police arrested Moses about a quarter mile from the dealership around 3 a.m., finding him dressed as seen in surveillance footage with a hand-drawn map marking the location of the dealership.
ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn Stallo commented: “Arson is a violent crime, that not only endangers members of our community, but our first responders as well. 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 added: “The safety of our community is of the utmost importance to the Mesa Police Department. We do not tolerate violence or malicious actions that can lead to injury or death to members of the public or first responders. We are pleased with the swift justice delivered in this case. We appreciate the strong work of the Maricopa County and U.S. Attorneys’ offices.”
The investigation was conducted by several agencies including 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 along with Maricopa Deputy County Attorney Luke Coyne.
