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Feds say Arizona suspect vandalized ICE facility and attempted to ignite lobby area
An Arizona man is facing federal charges after prosecutors said he vandalized and attempted to set fire to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility by using a propane tank and torch to ignite materials inside the building.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona said Gerardo Mendoza-Acoltzi of Avondale was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of malicious damage to federal property and willful depredation against property of the United States.
Court documents claim Mendoza-Acoltzi broke a window at the ICE property before attempting to ignite the building just after 1 a.m. on Feb. 21, 2026.
Federal authorities said surveillance video showed Mendoza-Acoltzi arriving at the facility shortly before midnight and unloading a propane tank near the front entrance. Prosecutors said he later returned, smashed a lobby window with the propane tank and used a torch connected to the tank to ignite window shades inside the building.
FBI INVESTIGATES CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO FEDERAL ICE WAREHOUSE FACILITY IN ARIZONA
Investigators also alleged Mendoza-Acoltzi arranged rocks outside the facility to spell an anti-ICE message before leaving the area.
Federal prosecutors said Mendoza-Acoltzi was arrested May 7 and made his initial appearance in federal court shortly afterward.
Fox News previously reported that the FBI was investigating “significant criminal damage” at the federal ICE warehouse facility after vandals targeted the property with anti-law enforcement graffiti and damaged windows.
FBI OPENS INVESTIGATION AFTER DRIVER ALLEGEDLY RAMS ICE VEHICLE DURING ARIZONA TRAFFIC STOP ATTEMPT
If convicted, Mendoza-Acoltzi could face years in federal prison. Attempted arson of federal property carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years behind bars, while depredation against U.S. property also carries additional penalties.
Federal officials have increasingly warned about threats and attacks targeting immigration enforcement facilities and personnel amid heightened tensions surrounding border security and deportation operations.
The Arizona case comes amid heightened concerns over threats targeting immigration enforcement and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) facilities nationwide.
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Days before the Arizona incident, state and federal authorities launched an investigation into an attempted arson attack at a DHS office building in Meridian, Idaho.
The suspect allegedly stole an ambulance from a bay at St. Luke’s West hospital, drove it through a parking lot and retrieved gas cans that had been staged in nearby vegetation, according to Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea.
The suspect then drove the ambulance into the North Portico building, which houses DHS offices, Basterrechea said at the time.
FEDERAL CHARGES FILED AGAINST ARIZONA TESLA ARSON SUSPECT, AG BONDI PROMISES ‘NO NEGOTIATING’
Investigators believe the suspect poured an accelerant inside and around the outside of the ambulance but was unable to ignite it before being interrupted by responding officers.
“There has been a lot of rhetoric surrounding the Department of Homeland Security leasing office space at this location,” Basterrechea said. “Comments on social media, such as ‘property damage isn’t violence,’ is absolutely false. This was absolutely an act of violence, and if the suspect had not been interrupted, there is no doubt this building would have been burned, putting the lives of first responders and others at risk.”
The charges against Mendoza-Acoltzi are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
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Himes on Raul Castro: He Might Have Broken Law, Trump Admin. Did ‘Illegal Actions’ on ‘Drug Runners’
On Wednesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “Situation Room,” Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) discussed possible legal action against Raul Castro and said that “Legal accountability is critical. And, by the way, the Trump administration people may think about that as they undertake
The post Himes on Raul Castro: He Might Have Broken Law, Trump Admin. Did ‘Illegal Actions’ on ‘Drug Runners’ appeared first on Breitbart.
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Joey Chestnut will defend Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest title on July 4 while serving probation sentence
Joey Chestnut will be in Coney Island defending his Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4 despite being on probation.
Chestnut pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge on April 20 and was sentenced to 180 days of probation in Hamilton County, Indiana.
However, “Jaws” was granted permission to travel outside the state, which allows him to participate in the event he’s won 17 times, including this past year, on July 4 in New York City. He had previously filed petitions to travel outside Indiana with the Hot Dog Eating Contest taking place.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Chestnut, regarded as one of the best competitive eaters of all time, was accused of slapping a man in the face during a night out at an Indiana bar around 2 a.m. on March 21, per Us Weekly. He later told authorities that he was drunk and didn’t recall the interaction with the man.
The man also claimed he recognized and approached Chestnut while at the bar and shook his hand before he was slapped on the left side of his face.
JOEY CHESTNUT SENTENCED TO PROBATION AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO DRUNKENLY SLAPPING A MAN AT BAR
“The accused pulled [the victim] forward, moves closer and uses his right hand to strike [the victim] on the face with an open hand. [The victim] is observed reacting to the strike and moving his head downward and holding it there while the accused stands over him and [his friend],” the officer said in an affidavit obtained by Us Weekly. “[Chestnut] moves toward [the victim] again and [the victim] moves away from the accused.
“The touching was nude, insolent or angry because the open-handed strike was nonconsensual to the victim in a manner that caused pain while the accused allegedly used provocative language toward the victim to illicit a reaction.”
Chestnut’s attorney, Mario Massillamany, said that his client took “full responsibility for this misunderstanding,” the outlet reported.
Chestnut will be going for his 18th title in his last 19 attempts, though he may have had another one if not for Nathan’s banning him from competition in 2024. He had signed a deal with Nathan’s rival, Impossible Foods, prior to the competition.
But Chestnut and organizers of the event found common ground on sponsorships before the 2025 contest.
He went on to consume 70.5 hot dogs and buns in the 10-minute timeframe.
Now that he’s locked in for the contest, Chestnut should be the overwhelming favorite. He’s also coming off a victory in the 2026 Ultimate Bologna Showdown in Tennessee, winning the event three years straight now. Chestnut ate 16 pounds of sausage in eight minutes, setting a new world record.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Texas man arrested after allegedly driving Tesla Cybertruck into lake to test ‘Wade Mode’: police
A Texas man was arrested after police say he intentionally drove his Tesla Cybertruck into Grapevine Lake to test the vehicle’s “Wade Mode” feature, only for the truck to become disabled and start taking on water.
Officers responded Monday to Katie’s Woods Park Boat Ramp after reports of a Cybertruck partially submerged near the shoreline, according to the Grapevine Police Department.
The driver allegedly told officers he purposely drove the vehicle into the lake to use the Cybertruck’s “Wade Mode,” a feature Tesla says temporarily raises the truck’s ride height and pressurizes the battery system to help navigate shallow water and rough terrain.
Authorities said the experiment quickly went wrong when the Cybertruck became disabled in the water.
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The driver and passengers safely escaped the vehicle before the Grapevine Fire Department Water Rescue Team helped remove the truck from the lake, according to police. Police said no injuries were reported.
Photos shared by authorities showed the stainless steel pickup partially submerged at the boat ramp as emergency crews worked to recover it from the water.
The driver, whose identity has not been released, was arrested at the scene on charges, including operation of a vehicle in a closed section of a park or lake, along with multiple water safety equipment violations, police said.
A representative for the Grapevine Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
“We want to remind drivers that although a vehicle may be physically capable of entering shallow freshwater areas, doing so can create legal and safety concerns under Texas law,” the Grapevine Police Department said in a Facebook post.
Grapevine Lake is a popular recreation area in the Dallas-Fort Worth region known for boating and fishing.
Tesla has heavily marketed the Cybertruck’s rugged off-road capabilities since the vehicle launched in late 2023.
The incident comes as some Cybertruck owners have posted videos online testing the electric pickup’s durability and off-road performance in mud, sand and water crossings.
Tesla says “Wade Mode” is designed for shallow water crossings, but advises drivers to avoid water conditions that exceed the vehicle’s capabilities.
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