February 23, 2026 - 4:59 pm Updated February 23, 2026 - 7:51 pm A man pleaded guilty Monday to setting multiple Teslas on fire in Las Vegas last year, a move that brings a case with national political implications closer to an end. Paul Kim, 37, pleaded guilty to all charges in the indictment against him: two counts of arson, a count of attempted arson and a count connected to his possession of a Molotov cocktail. He did so without a plea deal, meaning prosecutors are not required to give him any benefit in exchange for his admissions. U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey accepted his plea and, though he will be sentenced in a separate hearing, told him he could face between five and 70 years in prison. Kim was arrested in March. Authorities said he vandalized at least five Teslas in the early hours of March 18 at a Tesla service center at 6260 Badura Ave., near South Jones Boulevard and the 215 Beltway. He acted at a time when protesters around the nation were targeting Teslas as symbols of Elon Musk, then the leader of the Department of Government Efficiency. In a similar Arizona case, Ian William Moses was sentenced to five years in prison in January, after setting fire to a Mesa, Arizona Tesla vehicle and dealership in April, according to the Justice Department and court records. Like Kim, Moses pleaded guilty to all the federal charges he faced. Defense attorney Michael Becker said after court there was an advantage to Kim pleading guilty without negotiations. Doing so allows him to appeal his sentence if defense lawyers think it is flawed, he said. Attorneys could appeal a domestic terrorist enhancement if Dorsey applies it to Kim, said Adam Solinger, another lawyer for Kim. Solinger said his client realistically faces somewhere between five and 20 years in prison, though he cautioned that he could not assume how much time the judge would order. “It’s a one-off, not a spree,” he said of his client’s actions. During the hearing, Kim told Dorsey that he had attended college and most recently worked as a videographer. He also said he was diagnosed with “a minor form of bipolar disorder” and had taken medication in the last 24 hours, but that it did not harm his ability to understand what was happening in court. The judge found him competent to make a guilty plea. Kim admitted to specific facts as part of his plea, including that he fired shots and threw Molotov cocktails into Teslas. Two of the explosive devices erupted. He acknowledged damaging five Teslas in total, two of which were complete losses. And he admitted that his DNA was found on items recovered from the scene. In Las Vegas Justice Court, Kim still faces state arson, firearms, property damage and explosives charges. Becker told Dorsey that he expected state prosecutors would dismiss the case because of Kim’s guilty plea. The Clark County district attorney’s office did immediately not respond to a request for comment late Monday afternoon seeking to confirm that. Kim’s federal trial was previously scheduled to start March 10. His sentencing is now set for May 27. He will remain in federal custody while awaiting sentencing, Dorsey ordered. Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com.