"The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars." If found guilty, they face charges that have minimum penalties of 5 years in prison, with maximum 20-year sentences.  

The Department of Justice has not yet named the alleged villains, but, in a Thursday press release, the DOJ described the criminal acts they're accused of perpetrating in Oregon, Colorado and South Carolina: 

One defendant...armed with a suppressed AR-15 rifle, was arrested after throwing approximately eight Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership located in Salem, Oregon.

Another was arrested in Loveland, Colorado after attempting to light Teslas on fire with Molotov cocktails. The defendant was later found in possession of materials used to produce additional incendiary weapons.

In Charleston, South Carolina, a third defendant wrote profane messages against President Trump around Tesla charging stations before lighting the charging stations on fire with Molotov cocktails.

While the charges represent a welcome development, there are many more criminals still at large, such as a black-clad arsonist who spray-painted RESIST on the doors of a Las Vegas Tesla Collision Center in the early hours of Tuesday morning before setting two cars ablaze and shooting three more with a firearm. 

Hatred of Trump and Musk crosses international borders; so too has anti-Tesla violence. In one of the largest attacks yet, upwards of 80 vehicles at an Ontario Tesla service center suffered damage that included deep scratches and punctured tires. On Thursday, Musk said security at Tesla outlets has been bolstered, in part by activating "Sentry Mode" on all Teslas that are parked at them. Sentry Mode uses the vehicle's external cameras to detect suspicious activity and record video of what's happening. 

Sentry Mode has already helped many Tesla vehicle-owners capture vandals in the act. San Jose police arrested this man who was recorded keying a Tesla in a Costco parking lot last week. "Our residents can't be held accountable for something Elon Musk is doing 3,000 miles away," said San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.