Fairfax City bar arsonist gets five years
A Fairfax City bar owner was sentenced to five years in prison Friday for torching his bar on Halloween night 2009.
Ajmal A. Aman, 29, of Herndon, was a part owner and manager of Bridges Billiards and Grill, on the first floor of the Mosby Tower on Main Street in downtown Fairfax City. After Bridges closed, early on Nov. 1, 2009, a fire erupted. Firefighters and investigators arrived to find Aman, smelling of gasoline. Lab tests later determined that gasoline was used to set the fire, and that gasoline was on Aman's clothes. Aman was arrested.
Aman went to trial in October 2010, at which prosecutors said evidence showed he had used his position as treasurer of the bar to steal money for personal travel and repayment of debts. Prosecutors theorized that competition from other bars may also have been a motive, and a jury convicted Aman of arson.
United States District Judge T. S. Ellis III sentenced Aman to the minimum five years in prison, and also ordered him to pay $742,790 in restitution for the damage caused by the fire. Bridges never reopened.
By
Tom Jackman
| January 21, 2011; 1:30 PM ET
Categories:
Fairfax, Fires & Fire Safety, From the Courthouse, Tom Jackman, Updates
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Smelling of gasoline is more than an indicator of guilt. It could indicate a very stupid arsonist. Whatever to those AP fires from decades ago that would singe off eyebrows at 100 yards? Now that was some arson.
Posted by: blasmaic | January 21, 2011 5:55 PM | Report abuse
Ummm... All that before you consider AJ used Bridges to funnel drugs and launder money LoL!
At least he's finally off the streets. Now go after his brother!
Posted by: ITSec_Guy | January 21, 2011 6:13 PM | Report abuse
Ummm... All that before you consider AJ used Bridges to funnel drugs and launder money LoL!
At least he's finally off the streets. Now go after his brother!
Posted by: ITSec_Guy | January 21, 2011 6:14 PM | Report abuse
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