Tesla Security Protocols Stopped Federal Agents From Installing Tracker

Warrant Says Tracker Was Never Installed

A more than 60 page federal warrant application filed by Homeland Security Investigations said agents wanted to place a tracking device on a white Tesla driven by a suspected drug trafficker in Milwaukee. The filing was submitted on Halloween of 2025, and a judge issued the warrant the same day.

According to the application, case agents had watched Sam Stair, a local landlord they believed was using his rental properties as a front for a drug trafficking operation, for months. They said Stair went everywhere in the Tesla and that they believed he was using it to assist with drug trafficking and to travel to locations linked to the trafficking organization and its members.

Court Filing Cites Tesla Security Protocols

The warrant was never carried out. "Search warrant not executed due to security protocols active on Tesla," the agent wrote in a court filing about the warrant. The documents do not name the specific protocols that blocked the device, but the report noted the car may have been in Sentry Mode.

Tesla vehicles have eight external cameras that provide a 360 degree view of the surroundings. In Sentry Mode, the car flashes its lights, sounds an alarm and starts recording through those cameras when a stranger approaches. The dashboard turns on to signal that recording is active, and the owner is pinged through the Tesla app and can watch remotely. Footage can also be saved if a USB drive is installed.

Investigation Continued After the Setback

The failed attempt did not derail the broader case. A task force arrested Stair and 17 other people in May on drug trafficking charges. Stair pleaded not guilty and was released from jail on bond while he awaits trial.

Sources: 404 Media