A college student accused of firebombing a Tesla dealership in Kansas City could face up to 30 years behind bars if convicted on all charges.
Authorities say 19-year-old Owen McIntire, a UMass Boston student, was released to receive gender-affirming care after allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at the dealership in March, igniting two cars and causing damage estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
McIntire has pleaded not guilty to charges of malicious destruction of property and unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device. According to the Kansas City Star, a conviction on all counts could bring a maximum 30-year prison sentence.
The case has also drawn heightened scrutiny, with the Department of Justice’s national security division taking over the prosecution. Attorney General Pam Bondi classified the attack as “domestic terrorism,” shifting it into a category typically reserved for terrorism and espionage cases.
Owen McIntire, 19, could face up to 30 years in prison if found guilty.
“Let me make this perfectly clear for anyone thinking about torching a Tesla property: you won’t get away,” Bondi declared in April during McIntire’s arrest announcement. “You will be arrested. You will be prosecuted. And you will face decades behind bars. It’s not worth it.”
Federal authorities cracked down after receiving dozens of reports of vandalism at Tesla dealerships nationwide, acts apparently staged in protest against Tesla CEO Elon Musk—an ally of then-President Trump and head of the administration’s cost-cutting agency, DOGE, at the time.
The FBI responded by launching a dedicated task force to investigate the incidents.
Trump even floated the idea of sending the perpetrators to serve 20-year prison sentences in El Salvador, where the U.S. had recently leased a facility to hold deported individuals suspected of gang affiliations.
McIntire is accused of destroying two Tesla vehicles and charging stations in March.
Last month, a judge granted McIntire release from custody, citing his “serious and ongoing” medical needs—including gender-affirming treatment that requires daily medication, along with mental health care.
His attorneys argued successfully that McIntire, who is on the autism spectrum and has been diagnosed with ADHD and depression, needs consistent medication and therapy incompatible with remaining in jail.
According to the Kansas City Star, he was permitted to move to his parents’ home in Parkville, Missouri, but must wear an ankle monitor and comply with other court-imposed conditions.
Prosecutors sought to keep McIntire in custody pending trial.
