MN state employee who keyed Teslas, causing $20K damage, punished with 1-day suspension

Hennepin Co. Attorney defends diversion for Tesla vandal

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty spoke about her decision not to file felony charges against a state employee who caused thousands of dollars of damage to Tesla vehicles. FOX 9's Mike Manzoni has the latest.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Minnesota state employee arrested last year for vandalizing six Tesla vehicles, causing a reported $20,000 in damage, was punished by the state with a single-day suspension, state records show.

DHS employee arrested for Tesla vandalism

The backstory:

Dylan Adams, an employee with the Minnesota Department of Human Services, was one person arrested last year for the rash of vandalism against Tesla vehicles in Minnesota.

Vandalism against Teslas was part of a national trend as Tesla CEO Elon Musk became a political flashpoint due to his support of Donald Trump during the 2024 campaign and later his role in the Trump administration as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

What we know:

Documents from the Department of Human Services show the state's investigation into Adams. 

In the report, Adams said he was disturbed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk's actions during the 2024 campaign, including a perceived Nazi salute during a campaign event. He said he vandalized the Teslas "in hopes the owners would disassociate themselves from Elon Musk and Tesla."

The suspension:

The documents also include Adams' official punishment. A letter sent to Adams on Jan. 20 informs him he will face an unpaid, one-day suspension on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026.

"You are reminded that you are expected to comply with all Enterprise and Agency policies and fulfill your responsibility of maintaining public trust; failure to do so could result in further disciplinary action up to and including termination of your employment," the letter reads.

Adams was informed he has the right to appeal the suspension, but there is no indication in the provided documents to indicate that happened.

Big picture view:

Despite being accused of causing a significant amount of damage, it's worth noting Adams was never charged with a crime. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty's office announced last year her office would instead opt for "diversion" – which officials said was typical in cases like this.

"We offered diversion as we often do with property damage cases when the person has no record," a spokesperson said. "Mr. Adams will have to complete the requirements of the program. He will also have to pay every penny in restitution to the victims. If he does not meet those requirements, we will proceed through the criminal legal system process."

Full Minnesota DHS report

Read the full DHS report below: