Minnesota State Employee Who Vandalized Teslas Last Year ‘Punished’ With 1-Day Suspension

Authored by Debra Heine via American Greatness,

A Minnesota state employee who vandalized six Tesla vehicles last year, causing up to $21,000 in damage, received no jailtime and just a single-day suspension from his job, state records show.

Dylan Adams, an employee with the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), was caught on Tesla security cameras keying the vehicles in March and early April 2025, amid a rash of anti-Tesla vandalism and firebomb attacks throughout the nation.

The anti-Tesla attacks coincided with nationwide “Tesla Takedown” demonstrations organized by ActBlue-funded groups to agitate against Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

As the Fiscal Policy Analyst and Compliance Lead on DHS’s Program Integrity Team, Adams is reportedly responsible for preventing  waste, fraud and abuse in public benefit programs in a state that has recently seen an estimated $300 million in child nutrition funds and $9 billion in Medicaid funds lost to waste, fraud, and abuse.

According to a report on the Minnesota DHS investigation, Adams indicated that he was “concerned” about Musk making a “Nazi salute” during a 2024 campaign event, a malicious smear propagated by Democrats and their allies in the media.

He also admitted that he vandalized the Teslas “in hopes the owners would disassociate themselves from Elon Musk and Tesla.”

Adams told investigators he was “on a break” or “out sick” during the times he was out keying Tesla vehicles, however Adams’ state time card, obtained by Alpha News, shows he logged a full eight-hour workday during the time period he was committing some of the crimes.

Regardless, he was “punished” with just 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,” a letter sent to Adams on Jan. 20 reads.

Adams was informed that he had the right to appeal the day off, but there is no indication that he objected to the minor slap on the wrist.

Minnesota House Republican Leader Harry Niska said:

“the message is clear: if you belong to a certain class of state employees, Gov. Walz and Minnesota Democrats will protect you.”

Soros-backed Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty (D.) announced last year that the vandal would not be charged with a crime and would instead opt for a “diversion program” for him.

“We offered diversion as we often do with property damage cases when the person has no record,” Moriarty’s spokesman 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.”

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara expressed frustration with the decision not to pursue felony charges, noting the significant damage and impact on multiple victims.

“The Minneapolis Police Department did its job. It identified and investigated a crime trend, identified, and arrested a suspect, and presented a case file to the Hennepin County Attorney Office for consideration of charges,” O’Hara said in a statement to media outlets last April.

“This case impacted at least six different victims and totaled over $20,000 in damages. Any frustration related to the charging decision of the Hennepin County Attorney should be directed solely at her office. Our investigators are always frustrated when the cases they poured their hearts into are declined. In my experience, the victims in these cases often feel the same.”