The sentencing comes a year after his arrest for setting his car on fire at a remote solar array facility, an act initially deemed by authorities as a terror attack on the electric system powering several Las Vegas Strip casinos.
Mesmarian pleaded guilty but mentally ill in November to charges of felony arson and property destruction. The incident took place at a secluded desert solar array, located approximately 25 miles northeast of downtown Las Vegas.
Jeffrey Nicholson, Mesmarian's attorney, clarified the motivations behind his client's actions. "This was not so much an act of terrorism as a person going through personal issues during COVID, the loss of a marriage and his business," he told The Associated Press following the sentencing. Despite advocating for probation, Nicholson described Clark County District Court Judge Ronald Israel's sentence of two to 10 years as "a good and fair decision."
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Mesmarian, a practicing dentist, has already served nearly a year in custody, making him eligible for parole as early as 2024. His professional life in Colorado was marred by disciplinary action from the Dental Board, which resulted in the restriction of his license to practice in July 2022. Additionally, Mesmarian filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in October 2022. Nicholson admitted that he was unaware of the current status of his client's dental license.
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Initially, Mesmarian faced a slew of charges, including terrorism, arson, destruction of property, and escape. He remained in custody for several months during court proceedings, which ultimately deemed him competent to stand trial.
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The fire set by Mesmarian on January 4 caused no injuries and was not immediately detected. He was located and arrested the following day at a campground at Lake Mead, the Colorado River reservoir situated east of Las Vegas, behind the Hoover Dam.
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Investigations revealed that Mesmarian had driven his car through a fence, crashed it against a transformer, set it on fire, and watched the flames for approximately 15 minutes before leaving the scene.
This incident in Nevada occurred shortly after the arrest of two men for vandalizing electrical substations in Washington state. It also followed a federal order for a review of security standards after two electric substations in North Carolina were damaged by shootings.
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The facility targeted by Mesmarian, known as the Mega Solar Array, is managed by Chicago-based Invenergy. It provides power to several MGM Resorts International properties, including Bellagio, MGM Grand, Aria, and Park MGM.
The resort operator confirmed that it switched to the statewide electric grid following the incident, ensuring no disruption at the casino resorts. Officials reported that the power facility was back in operation within days.
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