Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty is facing widespread criticism for declining to prosecute a state employee who is accused of vandalizing multiple Tesla vehicles.
Minnesota Rep. Paul Novotny, R–Elk River, who serves as co-chair of the House Public Safety Committee, issued a blistering statement Tuesday in which he said that Moriarty’s office “is failing to uphold their oath to seek justice and protect the public.”
His comments come after Alpha News reported that Dylan Bryan Adams, a state employee with the Department of Human Services, was allegedly recorded vandalizing multiple Teslas in Minneapolis over the span of a week and a half in late March. The vandalism amounted to over $21,000 in damages to at least six vehicles.
Moriarty has declined to prosecute Adams and instead directed him to a “diversion” program, meaning if he successfully completes programming, he won’t have a felony charge on his record.
Rep. Novotny claimed the lack of prosecution points to a pattern of leniency in the criminal justice system that undermines public safety and erodes trust.
“This isn’t a case of civil disobedience. This is a felony. It’s thousands of dollars in damage, and we have clear evidence. If this doesn’t warrant prosecution, what does?” said Novotny.
Novotny called Moriarty’s decision “a slap in the face” to hardworking law enforcement officers who attempt to execute justice for victims.
“Our law enforcement officers did everything right—they investigated, built a case, and handed it over. And the response from the prosecutor’s office was essentially, ‘Never mind,’” said Novotny. “That’s a slap in the face to victims, officers, and every Minnesotan who expects the law to mean something.”
Novotny said it may be time for legislators to “talk about accountability for prosecutors” and expressed support for legislation authored by Rep. Kristin Robbins, R–Maple Grove, which would authorize city attorneys to prosecute certain crimes when a county attorney declines to prosecute.
“This isn’t about all county attorneys—Minnesota has 87, and the vast majority of them are doing their jobs and working in partnership with law enforcement to keep our communities safe,” said Novotny.
But when “prosecutors refuse to do their job, they not only deny justice to victims—they undermine the entire legal system.”
“We’ll be taking a serious look at what statutory guardrails are—or aren’t—in place to prevent this kind of negligence from continuing. When county attorneys make it this clear that they won’t enforce the law, someone has to step in,” Novotny added.
Anoka County Attorney Brad Johnson seems to agree with Novotny’s sentiments. “Just so that no one gets any silly ideas in the North Metro from this story. Offenders who commit a crime spree causing tens of thousands in damages to multiple victims will not be approved for pre-charge diversion in Anoka County. This is especially true if the lawlessness is politically motivated,” he wrote on Facebook.
Anoka County Attorney Brad Johnson. pic.twitter.com/oUVlmCN6qE
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) April 23, 2025
Moriarty’s decision not to prosecute has attracted national and international media attention, with the Daily Mail describing her as “America’s wokest” prosecutor.
In a statement to the media, Moriarty’s office defended pre-charge diversion as “an approach taken in many property crime cases” that “helps to ensure the individual keeps their job and can pay restitution, as well as reducing the likelihood of repeat offenses.”
“Criminal prosecution remains a possibility should unlawful behavior continue,” her office said.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara also expressed frustration with the county attorney’s decision. He acknowledged the work of the MPD investigator who conducted the investigation and identified Adams as the suspect, leading to an arrest.
“Any frustration related to the charging decision of the Hennepin County Attorney should be directed solely at her office,” said Chief O’Hara. “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.”
Sarah Prentice
Sarah Prentice has previously written for Campus Reform and worked as an intern at Media Research Center. While continuing to pursue her degree in political science, she worked full-time in communications and media outreach for a pro-woman, pro-life non-profit. Now a fellow at Alpha News during her senior year of college, she hopes to graduate with her political science degree from SUNY Brockport and combine it with her media and communications experience to pursue political journalism. She has a special interest in reporting on stories related to social issues, education, public health, and religious freedom.
