The case against Bobby Salazar: Everything we know after alleged arson in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Federal charges filed against Bobby Salazar, the operator of the “Bobby Salazar’s” restaurants in Fresno County, detail the prosecution’s allegations against the 63-year-old, which ultimately led to his arrest by federal officials on Tuesday.

The criminal complaint describes evidence from recorded phone calls, text messages between alleged co-conspirators, and even how red shoelaces helped identify a suspect.

According to documents filed in federal court, on April 2, 2024, firefighters responded to one of Salazar’s restaurants at Blackstone Avenue and Michigan Avenue following a report of a fire. At the time, investigators described evidence of multiple fires throughout the building.

Salazar said he owned that location for over 20 years, and the restaurant was last operated by a franchisee until Jan. 31, 2024. According to the affidavit, the franchisee wrote a letter to Salazar in August 2023 giving notice that they would no longer be operating the restaurant.

Salazar had reportedly requested that the franchisee stop doing business under the name “Bobby Salazar’s Mexican Restaurant and Cantina.” Since the franchisee would not be able to change the name, they had to terminate the lease, prosecutors say.

After the franchisee left the property, Salazar started using the restaurant as a storage facility, prosecutors say. After the fire, investigators used a trained K9 unit to find two partially burned gas cans.

Federal documents reveal that investigators saw the front and rear doors of the building already open the night of the fire. A Fresno Fire Department investigator later found security footage from a nearby residence that showed an SUV driving by the restaurant the night before the fire – and just hours before the fire.

Prosecutors say the security footage also revealed two people walking around the property. At around 1:00 a.m., one of them was seen setting two gas cans near the front doors, then walking out through the back door around 2:00 a.m.

At that time, someone was seen picking up two gas cans and taking them back into the restaurant through the back of the building. Then finally, at around 2:08 a.m., the two people exited the building, setting fire to the gas cans behind them, prosecutors say.

On April 4, Fresno Fire requested a GeoFence warrant, which gives law enforcement the location of devices within a specific geographic area during a certain period of time. One of the people inside the SUV was identified through subscriber data on their phone, cross-referenced with physical characteristics that matched the surveillance video and past contacts with law enforcement, court documents say.

Officials say on May 1, 2024, officers served a search warrant at the identified person’s residence. An interview resulted in that person admitting to being involved in the fire, but denied being the person who started the fire and said that someone who was already in the Fresno County Jail at the time of the fire was responsible for starting it.

The federal court documents say that text exchanges between the two arson suspects confirmed involvement in the incident.

“Yeah, you got paid all that money from bobby f***ing to do what? A text message the following day read “now u can spend that money from bobbie on your b****…even though I took penitentiary chances for ur stupid a**.”

While in jail, the suspect called the other on the phone, prosecutors say, and during the phone call said, “they have everything… down to what I was wearing, what you were wearing, [and] your b****’s car.” Federal court documents described the suspect’s black Vans shoes with a white Vans emblem and red shoelaces were visible in security footage.

State gang investigators identified one of the suspects as the President of the Screamin Demon’s Motorcycle Club. On May 2, he was arrested and booked into the Fresno County Jail.

While in Fresno County Jail, the male suspect made several phone calls to his wife and the motorcycle club’s sergeant-at-arms. During those calls, the man mentioned that Salazar was sponsoring an upcoming club event, the “Shovelhead Run.”

After the man was charged in an unrelated federal case, prosecutors say he revealed to his wife and sergeant-at-arms that he believed Salazar was the target of a federal investigation related to the arson. The Screamin Demon’s Motorcycle Club President told his sergeant-at-arms to meet with Salazar so that Salazar could provide money for a lawyer, saying, “he’s gonna put the money up for it, or he can come to jail with me.”

After several attempts to make contact with Salazar, the sergeant-at-arms was able to meet with Salazar and report back to the club president, according to federal officials. During phone calls with his wife, investigators say the club president revealed information that indicated to investigators that Salazar was a co-conspirator and aider and abettor in the arson.

When Fresno Fire investigators asked Salazar if he knew either suspect, Salazar denied knowing the suspects. Salazar also denied allowing them to burn his property, but phone call records showed multiple calls through several months from the club president to numbers connected to Salazar.

According to the criminal complaint against Salazar, Salazar had renewed the policy on the Blackstone location in February 2024 and increased coverage by approximately 2,000. The restaurant building was ultimately covered for 8,050, not including coverage of business and personal property for 9,900, and loss of rent for ,000.

The criminal complaint also noted that Salazar had a history of connections to cases of arson and attempted arson. Cases that included the burning of a former multiple employees’ vehicles, his ex-brother-in-law’s home, and an attorney’s office.

The affidavit concludes that Salazar’s history of arson, connection to the suspects accused of burning his restaurant, and the financial incentive to burn the restaurant were probable cause enough to warrant Salazar’s arrest.

If convicted, he could serve up to 30 years in prison. Salazar is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, Aug. 28. However, federal officials maintain that the charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The criminal complaint filed in federal court can be read by clicking here.