Bobby Salazar evades jail after posting $1M bond in Fresno court arson case
The Fresno restaurant owner accused of hiring a biker to burn down a failing location walked out of a U.S. Courthouse on Monday after satisfying his $1 million bond and retaining his own attorney.
Bobby Salazar’s Taqueria owner Robert “Bobby” Salazar, 63, provided enough property in support of the bond, according to U.S. Magistrate Judge Erica P. Grosjean.
The judge also relieved the public defender who, until Monday, represented Salazar in the case in which he has been charged with three felonies, including arson of a commercial building, arson in furtherance of a felony and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Salazar’s new attorney was not in court on Monday and was not immediately available for comment.
Salazar declined to comment outside the courthouse on Monday other than to encourage residents to visit his Tower District restaurant.
“Get some party trays and salsas,” he said.
Prosecutors have said in court that Salazar owns an estimated $6 million in property, including a home in a gated community in Clovis and a condominium in San Francisco.
A preliminary hearing in his case had already been set for Oct. 9, though Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes said during Monday’s hearing he would expect the proceedings to be delayed by the change in attorneys.
Alleged arson at Bobby Salazar’s Restaurant
Salazar was arrested by federal investigators Sept. 2 and accused of orchestrating the April 2, 2024, arson of the 2839 N. Blackstone Ave. location of Bobby Salazar’s. The alleged arsonist, a biker gang member from Sanger, was arrested about a month after the fire, according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.
The location was being used for storage after a franchisee closed the eatery in January 2024, according to court records. Surveillance video caught two people setting the blaze inside on the night of the fire, records say.
Salazar was paid almost $1 million in an insurance payment after the fire, according to court records.
If found guilty, Salazar faces a minimum of five years in prison and maximum of 20 years for commercial arson. He also faces 10 years in prison for arson in furtherance of a felony, and the gun charge also carries a potential five-year sentence.
This story was originally published September 29, 2025 at 4:06 PM.
