Tesla's 'Security Protocols' Thwarted a DHS Tracking Device

An agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) failed to attach a tracking device to a suspect's Tesla — blocked by the car's own "security protocols." That detail comes from a warrant reviewed by 404 Media, in a story produced with Court Watch, an independent outlet that digs through overlooked court records.

On Halloween 2025, an HSI special agent filed an application of more than 60 pages seeking permission to place a tracker on the Tesla of a suspected drug trafficker in Milwaukee. Agents had spent months watching Sam Stair — a local landlord they believed was using his rental properties as a front for a drug trafficking operation.

According to the application, Stair went everywhere in a white Tesla, and investigators wanted to know where the car was whenever they couldn't keep eyes on it themselves. They argued the vehicle was used to visit addresses and members tied to the operation, and that tracking it could help identify the source of the narcotics.

A Warrant, but No Tracker

A judge granted the warrant the same day, yet the device never made it onto the car. "Search warrant not executed due to security protocols active on Tesla," the agent wrote in a court filing.

The documents don't spell out which "protocols" got in the way, but 404 Media suggests the car may have been in Sentry Mode. A Tesla's eight external cameras provide a 360-degree view: they enable the self-driving features, but they also let owners watch what's happening around the vehicle.

When a stranger approaches a Tesla in Sentry Mode, the car flashes its lights, sounds an alarm, and starts recording through its exterior cameras. The dashboard warns bystanders that they're being filmed. The owner gets a ping through the Tesla app and can watch remotely — and, with a USB drive installed, even save the footage.

The hiccup didn't derail the broader case. In May, a task force arrested Stair and 17 others on drug trafficking charges. Stair pleaded not guilty and was released on bond while he awaits trial.

Source: 404 Media