Paul Hyon Kim has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for firebombing a Las Vegas Tesla repair facility in March 2025, despite prosecutors seeking a 20-year sentence and a terrorism-related sentencing enhancement.
The attack on the Tesla Collision Center involved gunfire, Molotov cocktails, and vandalism, leaving five Tesla vehicles destroyed beyond repair.
On October 14, 2026, U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey rejected the requested enhancement and imposed a five-year prison term, followed by three years of supervised release.
Kim had pleaded guilty in February 2026 to two counts of arson, one count of attempted arson, and one count of unlawfully possessing an unregistered destructive device.
The Tesla Attack
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According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Kim arrived at the facility during the early morning hours of March 18, 2025, armed with a .300 Blackout AR-platform semiautomatic rifle and Molotov cocktails.
Kim shot out two exterior security cameras, spray-painted “RESIST” across the building’s entrance doors, and fired multiple rounds into parked Tesla vehicles. He also threw Molotov cocktails into three of the vehicles, igniting fires in two.
Following the attack, Kim left the property on foot, returned to his vehicle, and drove away.
The Investigation
Eight days later, on March 26, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers arrested Kim.
A federal criminal complaint described evidence recovered during searches of his residence, including a rifle consistent with the weapon used during the attack, clothing resembling what the attacker wore, equipment bearing paint residue, and a handwritten note containing what appeared to be an escape plan.
Judge Rejects Enhancement
Federal prosecutors argued that Kim’s attack was politically motivated and sought a terrorism-related sentencing enhancement. Dorsey rejected the request, finding insufficient evidence to justify applying it.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the judge acknowledged evidence suggesting Kim intended to target the government but noted that he had attacked a privately owned Tesla facility. She ultimately followed federal probation officials’ sentencing recommendation.
During the hearing, Kim apologized and acknowledged that his beliefs did not justify his actions.
Kim was also ordered to pay $227,525 in restitution, undergo mental health treatment, and stay away from Tesla facilities.