Las Vegas resident Paul Hyon Kim was sentenced Wednesday to 60 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for an attack on the Tesla Collision Center on West Badura Avenue last year. U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey imposed the sentence after Kim pleaded guilty in February to two counts of arson of property used in interstate commerce, one count of attempted arson, and one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm. Federal prosecutors had sought a 20-year term.
According to court documents, Kim arrived at the facility in the early hours of March 18, 2025, armed with a .300 Blackout AR-platform semiautomatic rifle. He shot out two exterior security cameras, fired rounds into parked vehicles, and spray-painted "RESIST" on the main entrance doors before throwing three Molotov cocktails into three separate Teslas. Two of the devices exploded and started fires, while a third failed to detonate. Five vehicles were destroyed in total before Kim fled the scene.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah described the case as domestic terrorism. "The Department of Justice has been clear: anyone who participates in domestic terrorism will suffer severe legal consequences," she said. "There is no place for violence as a means of resolving political differences in our democracy." The attack occurred amid a wave of vandalism targeting Tesla properties nationwide.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, with significant assistance from the Clark County Fire Department. ATF Special Agent in Charge John Wester said the agency was pleased with the sentencing and emphasized that combating violent crime remains a top priority.
Sources: Las Vegas Sun, FOX5 Vegas
Original reporting: 8 News Now →
English (US)·