Las Vegas Tesla Arson Suspect Could Receive a Sentence of Up to 70 Years

By Blog


Published on: February 24, 2026, 12:18 PM.

Updated on: February 25, 2026, 06:23 AM.

  • Paul Kim has admitted guilt to four federal offenses for firebombing Tesla vehicles in Las Vegas
  • The attack was a reflection of a national trend against Tesla due to political motivations in 2025
  • Kim could face 5 to 70 years in prison, with sentencing set for May 27

On February 23, Paul Hyon Kim entered a guilty plea in federal court for the firebombing of a Tesla service center in Las Vegas last year, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Images of Paul Hyron Kim, who recently pled guilty to damaging Teslas at a Las Vegas service center in March 2025. (Photos: LVMPD)

This act sparked a nationwide discourse regarding the negative sentiment towards Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk, who was appointed by Donald Trump to oversee the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during Trump’s second term.

Kim’s federal trial, which included charges of two counts of arson, one count of attempted arson, and one for possessing a Molotov cocktail, was initially set to begin on March 10. However, the 37-year-old opted to forgo this trial by entering a guilty plea without a deal.

This decision allows Kim to preserve his appeal rights. According to the R-J, this move is strategic as his legal team prepares to contest a possible enhancement for “domestic terrorism” during sentencing.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey approved Kim’s plea after determining his competency, despite his admissions of a minor bipolar disorder and recent medication usage.

The Incident

Multiple Tesla vehicles were set ablaze by Molotov cocktails and shot at on March 18, 2025, an act labeled “domestic terrorism” by Attorney General Pam Bondi. (Image: LVMPD)

On March 18, 2025, Kim, a self-identified communist activist residing in Las Vegas, allegedly threw Molotov cocktails and fired upon at least five Teslas parked at Tesla Collision Las Vegas, resulting in the total loss of two vehicles.

Authorities presented incriminating evidence linking Kim to the crime, including DNA collected from the site, and footage of him spray-painting the word “RESIST” on the building as the vehicles were engulfed in flames.

Although facing a potential maximum of 70 years in prison, his legal representatives estimate a more realistic sentencing range of 5-20 years, contending that the incident was an isolated occurrence rather than part of a larger pattern.

A recent similar case involved defendant Ian William Moses, who received a five-year sentence for igniting a Tesla in Mesa, Arizona.

The sentencing hearing for Kim, who has been in federal custody since his arrest in March 2025, is scheduled for May 27, 2026.

Following his federal plea, pending state-level charges related to arson and explosives are anticipated to be dropped.



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