FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — A man accused of committing a crime for businessman Bobby Salazar appeared in court on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Thomas Qualls pleaded not guilty in court on Wednesday to a felony arson charge for the blaze that burned one of Salazar’s namesake restaurants.<\/p>\n
Last week, a federal grand jury indicted Qualls, Shylo Badial and Salazar on several felony counts related to the fire.<\/p>\n
RELATED: Bobby Salazar remains out on bond amid federal charges<\/a><\/p>\n Legal analyst Tony Capozzi says the case still has a lot to unpack.<\/p>\n “This case will carry out and go on for quite a while. There will be a lot of discovery, a lot of expertise in determining whether or not it was arson,” Capozzi stated.<\/p>\n The indictment states Salazar paid Qualls and Badiali $10,000 last year to torch one of his namesake restaurants on Blackstone in central Fresno.<\/p>\n “Mentioning them in this indictment may be a means to get them to cooperate and testify against the main defendant in the case, but that remains to be seen,” Capozzi explained.<\/p>\n Salazar received over $900,000 in insurance money following that fire.<\/p>\n Last month, we caught up with him ahead of his status hearing.<\/p>\n “Bobby, do you have anything to say about the accusations?” I asked Salazar.<\/p>\n RELATED: Bobby Salazar arrested, accused of hiring motorcycle gang to set fire in restaurant: DOJ<\/a><\/p>\n “I’m innocent,” Salazar answered.<\/p>\n Salazar remains out on bond while he awaits his next court date.<\/p>\n The indictment says Badiali has not been arrested, but Qualls is in custody.<\/p>\n Salazar faces felony arson-related charges and mail fraud.<\/p>\n “The government is saying because of the arson, the insurance company had to mail a check back to Bobby Salazar. Using that mail is a federal offense to commit a crime,” Capozzi explained.<\/p>\n The co-defendants are facing felony arson charges.<\/p>\n If convicted, the trio’s sentences range from five to more than 20 years behind bars.<\/p>\n Salazar is set to be arraigned on the new charges next month.<\/p>\n Qualls will be back in court in January.<\/p>\n For news and weather updates, follow Tiffany Olin on Facebook<\/a>, X<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>. Copyright \u00a9 2025 KFSN-TV. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n
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