Minnesota Bar Owner Sent to Federal Prison For Arson

Get our free mobile app

St. Cloud, MN (KROC-AM News) - The owner of what had been a well-known bar in central Minnesota has been sentenced to nearly 6 years in prison for setting the business on fire.

43-year-old Andrew Welsh previously entered a guilty plea to a federal arson charge for setting the fire in hopes of collecting on an insurance policy. He is also been ordered to pay more than $3 million in restitution.

Photo: Conner Dols

Welsh was the owner of the Press Bar and Parlor in St. Cloud. It had been a popular establishment for students attending nearby St. Cloud State University. The arson fire on February 17, 2020 totally destroyed the building. Federal prosecutors say Welsh ignited the blaze after pouring gasoline in his basement office.

Photo: Kyle Schroeder

Court records indicate Welsh later submitted an insurance claim for losses associated with the fire and falsely claimed the "loss did not originate by any act, design, or procurement" on his part.

Note Found At Rochester School Threatens School Shooting

Rochester On Tap, Townsquare Media Event

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

Source: Minnesota Bar Owner Sent to Federal Prison For Arson

Filed Under: crime

Categories: State News