Las Vegas Tesla Arsonist Faces Up to 70 Years in Prison After Firebomb Attack

• Paul Kim pleaded guilty to four federal charges for firebombing Teslas in Las Vegas
• The attack was part of a 2025 national trend targeting Tesla for political reasons
• Kim faces five to 70 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for May 27
  

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Paul Hyon Kim pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday, February 23, to firebombing a Las Vegas Tesla service center last year, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The incident became a national symbol of the backlash against Tesla founder Elon Musk, who was appointed by Donald Trump to lead the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) at the start of Trump’s second presidential term.

Kim’s federal trial on four charges — two counts of arson, one of attempted arson, and one of possessing a Molotov cocktail — had been scheduled to start March 10. However, the 37-year-old waived his right to the trial by pleading guilty without copping a plea deal.

By doing so, Kim retains the right to appeal. According to the R-J, this is a strategic move as his defense team prepares to fight a potential sentencing enhancement for “domestic terrorism.”

US District Judge Jennifer Dorsey accepted Kim’s plea after finding him competent, despite his disclosure of a minor bipolar disorder diagnosis and recent medication use.

The Incident

On March 18, 2025, Kim — a communist activist who lives in Las Vegas — allegedly hurled Molotov cocktails and fired a gun into at least five Teslas parked at Tesla Collision Las Vegas. Two of the cars were completely destroyed.

Prosecutors presented evidence tying Kim to the crime that included DNA found at the scene, and a video of him spray-painting the word “RESIST” on the building as the vehicles burned.

While Kim faces a statutory maximum of 70 years, his attorneys estimate a realistic sentence of 5-20 years. They argue the incident was a “one-off” act rather than a prolonged spree.

A similar case recently saw defendant Ian William Moses sentenced to five years in prison for setting a Tesla on fire in Mesa, Ariz.

A sentencing hearing for Kim, who has been in federal custody since his arrest in March 2025, will be held on May 27, 2026.

His separate state-level charges for arson and explosives are expected to be dismissed following this federal admission.