In yet another head-scratching decision from the federal bench, a judge has ruled to release the 19-year-old suspect charged with firebombing a Kansas City Tesla dealership, despite serious allegations and evidence pointing to a violent attack.
Owen McIntire, a student at the University of Massachusetts Boston, was arrested after allegedly hurling Molotov cocktails—yes, homemade firebombs—at Tesla’s Kansas City dealership late at night on March 17. The fire caused significant damage, torching two brand-new Tesla Cybertrucks and melting nearby electric charging stations. But instead of being held in custody pending trial, McIntire is walking free.
According to the Department of Justice, the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) was patrolling near the Tesla Center just after 11 p.m. when an officer noticed smoke billowing from the parking lot. There, a Cybertruck valued at over $105,000 was ablaze. Close by, police found an unexploded Molotov cocktail—a glass bottle filled with flammable liquid—on the pavement near the wreckage.
The flames soon jumped to a second Cybertruck, priced at $107,000, while two Tesla charging stations, valued at $550 each, also suffered fire damage. The Kansas City Fire Department arrived and eventually put out the blaze.
This wasn’t a harmless prank or simple act of vandalism—it was a dangerous, premeditated act of arson against private property. And yet, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica Hedges chose to release McIntire from federal custody.
McIntire’s legal team argued that he has “no criminal record” and “strong ties” to Missouri. They also cited his “medical and mental health needs.” According to court documents, McIntire has been diagnosed with a range of conditions, including autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, depression, and gender dysphoria.
The judge apparently agreed with the defense and allowed him to await trial outside of jail—a decision that has raised serious questions among observers, especially those who believe in accountability, law and order, and the protection of American businesses from political or ideological violence.
McIntire faces federal charges that include:
- Unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device (i.e., Molotov cocktail)
- Malicious damage by fire to property used in interstate commerce
These are serious offenses with major penalties attached—yet the suspect is now out of custody, pending trial.
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi didn’t mince words about the situation:
“Let me be extremely clear to anyone who still wants to firebomb a Tesla property: you will not evade us,” Bondi said. “You will be arrested. You will be prosecuted. You will spend decades behind bars. It is not worth it.”
Bondi’s warning comes as an unmistakable signal: the federal government won’t tolerate violent, politically motivated attacks on businesses. But for many conservatives watching this case, the bigger question remains—why did a federal judge choose leniency for someone accused of domestic terrorism with firebombs?
This decision echoes other recent cases where suspects with troubling ideologies or violent backgrounds are being given a soft landing in the justice system, particularly if they align with progressive or activist causes.
Meanwhile, conservative Americans continue to face intense scrutiny and punishment for far less. It’s this double standard in our legal system that has become increasingly hard to ignore.
McIntire’s trial date is still pending. If convicted, he could face decades in federal prison. But for now, he’s back in the community—while the owners of the destroyed Cybertrucks and Tesla dealership staff are left cleaning up the mess and counting the costs.
We’ll be watching this one closely.
