A Salem man appeared in federal court facing charges related to the possession of Molotov cocktails. Adam Matthew Lansky, aged 41, has been charged with illegally possessing an unregistered destructive device.
Court documents reveal that on January 20, 2025, Salem Police Department officers responded to reports of someone throwing Molotov cocktails at a local car dealership. On February 19, 2025, they returned to the same location following reports of bullet damage to a building and vehicle.
Investigators connected Lansky to these incidents. Surveillance footage from the dealership reportedly shows him throwing Molotov cocktails at a building and several vehicles, resulting in fires. Additional video evidence captured from a patrol car showed a vehicle parked near the dealership while Lansky allegedly fired multiple rounds into a building and at least one vehicle. The vehicle was registered to Lansky and seen at his residence.
Lansky was arrested without incident in Salem and made his initial appearance in federal court before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He is being held pending further legal proceedings.
The investigation involves the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Salem Police Department. The case is prosecuted by Parakram Singh, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
"A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime," authorities reminded the public, emphasizing that "a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty."