Salem man faces federal arson charges in Tesla vandalism case

A federal grand jury charged a Salem man with arson after authorities accused him of throwing Molotov cocktails at Salem’s Tesla dealership.

Adam M. Lansky, 41, now faces two charges of attempted arson in addition to an earlier charge of possession of an unregistered destructive device,according to an indictment filed in Portland U.S. District Court March 18.

In the new federal case, Lansky is charged with unlawfully possessing a Molotov cocktail and two counts of attempted arson, one for the dealership building and the second for a Tesla vehicle.

Lansky was arrested March 4 after a federal investigation linked him to the attempted arson Jan. 20 and gunshots that destroyed windows Feb. 19, according to a previous statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Over the last two months, Tesla dealerships, charging stations and vehicles around the U.S. have been the sites for vandalism, arson and property damage incidents following outrage over Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s role in President Donald Trump’s administration. A Tesla dealership in Tigard recently had two shootings in a week, the Associated Press reported.

Several peaceful protests have also occurred at Salem’s Tesla dealership.

In the wake of targeted Tesla vandalism, the FBI launched a new task force this week to investigate and “crack down on violent Tesla attacks,” Ben Williamson, the FBI’s assistant director of public affairs, confirmed on X.

At the time of his arrest, federal prosecutors accused Lansky of unlawful possession of Molotov cocktails, referred to as destructive devices in court records.

Authorities have not said if they suspected a political motivation behind the arson and shooting.

The Salem Police Department investigated the case alongside the FBI and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Salem Reporter previously reported.

The new indictment also included two forfeiture allegations, meaning if Lansky is convicted on the new charges, he has to turn over materials he used to make Molotov cocktails and any unregistered firearms.

A criminal complaint filed March 3 provided a detailed timeline of the investigation, including an affidavit from ATF Special Agent Nathan Miller who provided an account of the incidents.

Surveillance footage from the dealership on the morning of the arson showed a man lighting around seven Molotov cocktails and throwing them at Tesla vehicles and the dealership. The man also threw a rock at the dealership’s windows, breaking the glass.

The incident caused around $500,000 in damage, including damaging seven Tesla cars, the complaint said.

When gunshots destroyed windows in February, an on-duty security guard did not hear the shooting but found the damage and reported it to law enforcement, the complaint said. Investigators suspected the shooter used a semi-automatic rifle with a suppressor to reduce the sound.

A police patrol car captured footage of a vehicle parked near the dealership at the time of the shooting.

Investigators later found the vehicle was registered to Lansky and observed it outside of his residence multiple times. According to the complaint, Lansky lived around half a mile away from the Tesla dealership.

Evidence from the scene of the arson was sent to the FBI Laboratory in Alabama which, in late February, matched Lansky’s fingerprints to remains from the Molotov cocktails, according to the statement.

Lansky is in custody at Yamhill County Jail, according to the county jail roster. Records show he is scheduled to appear in court April 3.

Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected].

A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE– If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE.