Barnhart, Mo. Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Connection with Tesla Arson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Barnhart, Mo. man pleaded guilty to destroying property at a Telsa dealership in Kansas City, Mo. and to unlawfully possessing an unregistered destructive device.   

Kevin Harkins, 28, entered a guilty plea today in federal court to one count of malicious destruction of property related to arson and one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device. Harkins was initially charged by complaint on Sept. 12, 2025. According to court documents, on Feb. 13, 2025, at approximately 9:25 p.m., Kansas City, Missouri Police officers were dispatched in the vicinity of the Kansas City Tesla Center to investigate reports of the sounds of gunshots. At the same time, Kansas City Fire Department officials were also dispatched to the same location due to a reported fire. Police and Fire Department personnel discovered that a Telsa Cybertruck had sustained fire damage and had been shot with a firearm approximately nine times. 

Officers observed what appeared to be a flammable fluid on the vehicle, broken glass, a charred cloth, propane hand torch, and a cigarette lighter on the ground.  Officers also noticed that a nearby Tesla Model Y vehicle had approximately seven bullet holes located on the hood. Officers also discovered an unbroken suspected incendiary device with a cloth wick sticking out of the bottle and having an odor of suspected gasoline. 

Police recovered the unbroken suspected incendiary device, also known as a Molotov cocktail. Investigators also discovered that a second Telsa Cybertruck was damaged by a bullet that was an apparent ricochet from one of the rounds that was aimed at the first Cybertruck.

The Cybertruck that was damaged by fire had a sale price of $81,985. 

Under federal statutes, Harkins is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years maximum in federal prison without parole for his charge of malicious destruction of property related to arson. Harkins is subject to 10 years maximum in federal prison without parole for his charge of unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device. 

The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Brackett, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Chlarson for the Western District of Missouri and Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Field Office-Kansas City, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Missouri.