Man Who Vandalized Six Teslas Avoids Jail Time And Still Keeps His State Job

In an age where public frustration takes increasingly bizarre forms, even parked Teslas aren’t safe. Last month, a 33-year-old man was caught vandalizing several of the vehicles in downtown Minneapolis, yet he won’t face any criminal charges. Despite a formal recommendation from police, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has opted for a diversion program. This approach allows the suspect to avoid prosecution as long as he fully reimburses the car owners.

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Security footage captured the man keying several Teslas in broad daylight, an act that authorities say caused around $20,000 in total damage to six different vehicles. Though spared a felony conviction, he’s still on the hook for the full cost of the repairs.

A Legal Decision With Mixed Reactions

According to Fox News, the man is a state employee working at the Minnesota Department of Human Services. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office explained that diversion was chosen to allow the individual to maintain his job while still being held accountable. A spokesperson for the office shared the following statement:

“Our main priorities are to secure restitution for the victims and hold Mr. Adams accountable. As a result, we will file for pre-charge diversion to best facilitate both of those goals. This is an approach taken in many property crime cases and helps to ensure the individual keeps their job and can pay restitution, as well as reducing the likelihood of repeat offenses. Criminal prosecution remains a possibility should unlawful behavior continue.”

Hennepin County District Attorney Mary Moriarty stood by her decision, stating that it serves public safety and was not influenced by politics. She argued that felony convictions often make things worse in the long run.

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“If they go through the traditional system, and they have a felony conviction on their record, they are much more likely to come back and commit a new crime. That is because a felony conviction destabilizes their lives, they may lose their job, lose their housing, and it can just lead to future criminal activity. What does work, and the recidivism rates are much, much lower, is diversion. And that’s been proven over and over here and throughout the country.”

Police and Public Officials Push Back

Not everyone agreed with the move. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara expressed disappointment on behalf of investigators who worked the case:

“The Minneapolis Police Department did its job. It identified and investigated a crime trend, identified, and arrested a suspect, and presented a case file to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for consideration of charges. This case impacted at least six different victims and totaled over $20,000 in damages. Any frustration related to the charging decision of the Hennepin County Attorney should be directed solely at her office. Our investigators are always frustrated when the cases they poured their hearts into are declined. In my experience, the victims in these cases often feel the same.”

Minnesota State Representative Kristin Robbins also voiced concern, calling the decision “troubling and unacceptable.”

In recent months, Tesla vehicles have increasingly become targets of vandalism, a trend seemingly tied to rising public backlash against Elon Musk’s politics. Some owners have responded by selling their cars in unusually high numbers, while others have resorted to putting stickers on their Teslas in hopes of deflecting potential attacks.

Regardless of one’s opinion of Musk, damaging private property should not serve as a form of protest. As for the punishment for those who cross the line and break the law, we should probably leave that to the judges.