LOVELAND, Colo. — A Fort Collins man arrested in connection with a vandalism case at the Loveland Tesla dealership was indicted on federal charges, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced Tuesday.
Cooper Jo Frederick was arrested Friday in Frisco, Texas after a federal grand jury indicted him on one count of malicious destruction and attempted destruction of property by fire and one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device.
Frederick was previously arrested on state charges in connection with the March 7 incident in which he was accused of using an incendiary device to start a fire at the dealership located at 1606 N. Lincoln Avenue.
Responding officers quickly put out the flames to prevent the fire from spreading and noticed a strong odor of gasoline, according to police.
The March 7 incident was not the first time the Loveland dealership was targeted. On February 24, a suspect attempted to start a fire at the business. Lucy-Grace Nelson was arrested in connection with that incident.
There has been an uptick of attacks on property with the Tesla logo across the U.S. since President Donald Trump took office and tapped Musk for a prominent role overseeing a new Department of Government Efficiency that has conducted large-scale federal layoffs.
Various law enforcement agencies, including the ATF, FBI, and the Loveland Police Department, are conducting the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a DOJ initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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