Federal charge filed against woman with incendiary devices following vandalism incidents at Colorado Tesla dealership

By Rebekah Riess and Andi Babineau, CNN

Denver (CNN) — A woman is facing a federal charge for allegedly vandalizing a Tesla dealership in Loveland, Colorado, on four separate occasions, according to a federal affidavit filed Wednesday.

Lucy Grace Nelson is facing a federal charge of malicious destruction of property filed by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in prison.

The 40-year-old was booked into the Larimer County Jail and is also facing several felony charges, including using explosive or incendiary devices during a felony and criminal mischief.

An investigation started January 29 when the first act of vandalism at the local car dealership was reported, followed by a second incident February 2. Police officers went to the dealership February 7 after reports of attempted arson. A number of vehicles and the Tesla building itself had been vandalized with graffiti, “some of which were offensive and hateful in nature,” police said.

Just before midnight Monday, the Loveland Police Department arrested Nelson, who they say had “returned to Loveland Tesla while in possession of additional incendiary devices, along with materials attributed to vandalism.”

Nelson appeared at an initial federal hearing Thursday. She was represented by Assistant Federal Defender Jennifer Beck. The Office of the Federal Public Defender does not comment on its cases.

Nelson’s mother, who was in court, declined to comment on the case.

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for March 15. Nelson has asked for a federal defender to represent her in the future.

Loveland police have not been able to interview Nelson, as she invoked her right to an attorney and to remain silent, according to Chris Padgett, a spokesperson for the Loveland Police Department. The Larimer County Magistrate has issued a $100,000 cash surety bond for Nelson.

“These incidents were not only unlawful, dangerous, and unsettling, they also created an atmosphere of discomfort and worry. Those who work at the business, along with those living in the community, have had to deal with such concerns since the first incident on January 29th,” Padgett added.

A dealership supervisor said they estimate approximately $5,000 in damage was done to the vehicles, according to an affidavit from an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Photos obtained by CBS of several vehicles in the dealership lot show vehicles with a red “X” spray-painted on the windshield.

Tesla has become a target of protest ever since its CEO, Elon Musk, became part of President Donald Trump’s inner circle with his downsizing effort resulting in thousands of federal workers being placed on administrative leave, laid off or issued termination notices. A woman in Maryland said her Tesla Model 3 was egged hours after Trump was elected last fall. On Sunday, Tesla’s charging account on X responded after someone posted a photo of a Utah supercharger spray-painted with the word “Nazi” and a swastika symbol, saying it would be immediately removed and that it planned to press charges for vandalism.

Meanwhile, protests against Musk have cropped up across the country at Tesla dealerships in Maryland, Illinois, North Carolina, California, Florida and Oregon.

“We’re here to use our voices in the most democratic way that you can, which is to send a direct message to people who are seeking to take away things that you rely on, jobs and money out of your pocket,” labor organizer Kevin Gallagher said at a protest in Baltimore County last week, CNN affiliate WJZ reported.

When asked whether the vandalism was in protest of Musk, Padgett told CNN, “based on the graffiti, it would stand to reason.” CNN has reached out to Tesla for comment.

How the four vandalism incidents unfolded

Nelson allegedly committed vandalism at the dealership on four different occasions leading up to her arrest, according to the federal affidavit.

On January 29, the Loveland Police Department received a report of a fire on the ground beneath a Cybertruck. When responding officers arrived, the fire had already been extinguished and there was no damage to the vehicle. A Smirnoff Ice bottle with a cloth stuffed into the neck was collected from the scene, the affidavit says.

A second incident was reported to police on February 2. According to the document, a supervisor at the Tesla dealership and a passerby both called police to report the word “Nazi” had been spray painted in black onto the Tesla sign in front of the store. The graffiti had been cleaned prior to police’s arrival, but a photo was provided to law enforcement.

The third incident, involving both graffiti and possible arson, was reported less than a week later on February 7, according to the affidavit. When police arrived, they observed several broken Smirnoff Ice bottles “with black colored fabric, acting as a wick,” in addition to red graffiti on a wall of the dealership and several vehicles, the document says.

Surveillance video on that night showed an individual walking into the Tesla parking lot wearing dark pants, a dark hoodie, gloves, and carrying a dark bag. The affidavit says the footage captured the individual lighting then throwing four Molotov cocktail-type devices as they wandered the lot. The suspect then left the area, before returning and “appeared to spray paint on the vehicles,” according to law enforcement.

In a final incident, on February 11, the affidavit says a security guard called police to report the words “F**k Musk” had been spray painted in red on the front windows of the dealership. The guard was unable to catch the individual and had started cleaning some of the graffiti before police arrived. Surveillance footage captured a suspect dressed similarly to the person involved in the prior incident and law enforcement determined the same person was likely responsible for all of the vandalism, according to the document.

One week later, in the course of reviewing surveillance footage, police say they were able to identify a silver Toyota Prius leaving a nearby Walgreens parking lot following the February 7 incident. That vehicle was traced to Nelson, and police began surveilling her Lyons, Colorado, home.

Law enforcement arrested Nelson on February 24, after following her to a location near the Tesla dealership and watching her walk around before returning to her own vehicle. The affidavit says Nelson had been “wearing the same clothing as was seen on the suspect during the February 7th incident.” After making the arrest and obtaining a search warrant, police say they found “a gasoline container, a box of Smirnoff Ice bottles, and wick material similar to those that were recovered from the prior incident” inside the Prius.

Police say Nelson does not have a prior criminal history.

Anyone with information regarding the incidents or Nelson – whom people may have previously known as Justin Thomas Nelson, Padgett said – is asked to call the Loveland Police Department Tip Line or Larimer County Crime Stoppers.

CNN’s Chris Isidore contributed to this report.

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