A Jefferson City man pleaded guilty to multiple charges for damaging vehicles at auto dealerships in March 2018.
During a hearing before Cole County Judge Dan Green, Joshua Lehman, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly burning and three counts of first-degree property damage.
As part of an agreement with prosecutors, Lehman was placed on five years supervised probation and ordered to continue receiving treatment from the Veteran's Administration. He must also pay a yet to be determined amount of restitution which cannot be more than $5,000. If he fails to meet conditions of his probation, he faces 16 years in prison.
In one incident, Lehman hit a courtesy van owned by Riley Toyota with a hammer, causing more than $750 in damage, according to Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statements.
Lehman also went to the Honda dealership on Missouri Boulevard and broke out the window of a vehicle there and set it on fire, lighting some clothing he had brought with him to ignite the blaze, according to the JCPD statements.
Lehman turned himself in at the Cole County Jail and admitted to the crimes, saying he was upset the Japanese had the right to sell vehicles in the United States after World War II.
Authorities said Lehman was not of stable mind, and they noted several documented incidents where he had made unfounded statements alleging illegal activities.