A 20-year-old Houston resident made his first federal court appearance Friday following allegations that he attacked the home of a prominent technology executive with an incendiary device and threatened company headquarters.
Daniel Moreno-Gama faces federal charges including attempted damage and destruction of property by means of explosives and possession of an unregistered firearm. The property destruction charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and maximum of 20 years in prison, while the weapons charge could result in up to 10 years imprisonment.
The defendant also faces eight state charges connected to the incident, including two counts of attempted murder, attempted arson, and possession of an incendiary device. Additional state charges include attempted criminal threats, possession of flammable substances, and attempted arson of an occupied building related to what authorities describe as a planned attack on corporate headquarters.
During his appearance before Magistrate Judge Thomas Hixson, Moreno-Gama wore an orange sweatsuit and was represented by federal public defender Jodi Linker. He spoke only to confirm his name, age, and understanding of the charges. Assistant U.S. District Attorney Alexis James represented the government.
Prosecutors requested detention, arguing the defendant posed both a danger to the community and a flight risk. While Linker indicated she would typically seek release, she did not contest detention in this case since her client was already in custody, though she reserved the right to seek release later. Judge Hixson remanded Moreno-Gama to U.S. Marshal Service custody and scheduled a preliminary hearing for May 12.
According to federal prosecutors, Moreno-Gama traveled from Texas to San Francisco with alleged intent to harm a technology company executive. Authorities say he threw a Molotov cocktail at a residence in San Francisco’s Russian Hill neighborhood around 3:30 a.m. on April 10, causing a fire at the top of a driveway gate.
Prosecutors claim that following the residential incident, Moreno-Gama traveled approximately three miles to corporate headquarters, where he allegedly attempted to force entry using a chair and threatened to burn the building and harm occupants. San Francisco police arrested him at the scene.
Surveillance footage reportedly captured both incidents. According to the federal criminal complaint, police discovered Moreno-Gama in possession of incendiary devices, a container of kerosene, a blue lighter, and a document that authorities believe he authored. The document allegedly contained statements opposing artificial intelligence and targeting executives of AI companies.
Prosecutors say the document included claims of killing or attempting to kill the executive, along with names and addresses of board members, CEOs, and investors of other technology companies. The document also reportedly outlined views on risks posed by artificial intelligence to humanity and included a direct message to the executive stating that survival would be interpreted as a divine sign for redemption.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the charges would be aggressively prosecuted, stating that violence cannot become normalized as a means of expressing disagreement with politics, technology, or other matters.
Moreno-Gama previously appeared in San Francisco Superior Court on April 14, where he requested a delay in his arraignment. State charges arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5.
Diamond Ward, deputy public defender at the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, characterized Moreno-Gama as a young man with a history of autism and mental health challenges, suggesting his actions stemmed from an acute mental health crisis. However, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins disputed this characterization, stating no evidence supported claims of mental health issues and describing the defendant as someone who understood and deliberately pursued his alleged mission.
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