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Man Facing Federal Arson Charge For Abortion Clinic Fire
January 5, 2012
An Alabama man has been arrested for arson in connection with a New Year’s Day fire at a Pensacola abortion clinic.
Bobby Joe Rogers of Tuscaloosa is being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond, charged in a federal complain with one count of damaging a building by fire or explosive.
United States Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Timothy issued an arrest warrant based on the complaint and supporting affidavit filed today, which charges Rogers, 41, with the arson of the American Family Planning Clinic at 6770 North 9th Avenue in Pensacola on January 1. If subsequently indicted by a grand jury and convicted at trial, Rogers faces a possible 20 year prison term.
Shortly before noon Thursday, Rogers appeared before Magistrate Judge Timothy, who appointed a federal public defender to represent him. Rogers waived his right to a detention hearing and a preliminary hearing and is being held without bond pending further action by the court.
According to a federal affidavit, Rogers admitted to setting the fire that damaged the clinic due to his strong disbelief in abortion. He told investigators that he made an incendiary device using a 32-ounced beer bottle filled with gasoline and a wick made from an old shirt. After tossing the device and watching it burst into flames on the back of the clinic, he went across the street to an abandoned car wash to make fire was going. He then returned to an old shed behind Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q where he would sleep at a night.
According to court records, Rogers’ criminal history included arrests in Florida, Alabama and seven other states, plus felony convictions in Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee for burglary, and in Mississippi for grand larceny.
Rogers was arrested after a joint investigation involving the Division of State Fire Marshal’s Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations (BFAI) and other members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). The investigation determined that Rogers set fire to a clinic, causing approximately $300,000 in damage.
“We are thankful that no one was injured during this incident and for the collaboration between all of the law enforcement agencies involved in this case,” said Florida CFO Jeff Atwater, who also serves as State Fire Marshal. “I would like to also thank members of the Pensacola community for providing the critical information needed to promptly resolve this case.”
On January 1, 2012, the Pensacola Fire Department responded to a fire at the American Family Planning Clinic located at 6770 N. 9th Avenue in Pensacola and requested the assistance of the BFAI to investigate the cause of the fire. The investigation determined that the fire was intentionally set.
The details surrounding this fire initiated the response of members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. The JTTF is composed of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose primary work is to identify and disrupt terrorist activity. The following agencies cooperated in this investigation; the Florida State Fire Marshal Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations, the Pensacola Fire Department, the Pensacola Police Department, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Internal Revenue Service.
“This arrest demonstrates the strategic value of the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the high level of cooperation among the numerous agencies involved,” said Julius Halas, director of the Division of State Fire Marshal.
Comments
20 Responses to “Man Facing Federal Arson Charge For Abortion Clinic Fire”
CONSIDERING:
“When you all are done counting you sin free lives, then start casting stones.
Ooops too late you already did that.”
There you go being judgmental again, not practicing what you preach.
David the disappointed
While I don’t agree with abortion, I also don’t agree with arson. But what really bothers me is the judgmental; spirit I find here in the comments. Y’all must be commenting from the front pew at church, since you appear by your words to be perfect. Out of the heart the mouth speaks.
The man made a bad choice, and the justice system will determine what he pays for it. When you all are done counting you sin free lives, then start casting stones.
Ooops too late you already did that.
goldstar,
GO GATORS… just sayin. Good luck Tide and Tigers in the game Monday but I gotta go with the gold and purple for one night at least.
I was about to state the very same thing. I guess these Tide folks have moved from acts of destruction on college landmarks to bigger and better things. Bout time we gather them all together to keep an eye on them. Then we will all be able to sleep better at night again.
From Tuscaloosa enough said.
I get the felling Molotov is not his cocktail of choice…but then again, he’s not exactly pro-choice, is he?
Used to be ATF – Now it’s ATFE: Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. As David pointed out, the Molotov is a form of incendiary explosive device.
Add a charge of dispensing gas into an unapproved container.
A lot of the reason why all of the agencies are involved has to do with their budgets. I’m originally from Maryland; up there if the fire dept responds to a vehicle wreck and the battery is busted they call out the Hazardous Material guys (sulfuric acid spill). When budget time rolls around the Haz Mat dept. can say that we were called out “X” amount of times for spills, we need more equipment. I’m sure that this goes around everywhere.
REGARDING:
“Why on earth is the ATF and IRS involved in this?? ”
ATF probably because it involved manufacture and use of a Molotov Coctail, a simple type of firearm.
IRS could have been involved as they were looking at a number of suspects. Instead of this gentleman, it could have involved someone with money difficulties possible tax evasion. Remember you don’t know the perpetrator when you start so you don’t just look in one direction.
The others are very obvious. Arson investigation because it was correctly thought to have involved arson. Pensacola Police department because it was a criminal act in Pensacola. Pensacola Fire department because they put out the fire. FBI because they were investigating a federal crime. Sheriff’s office because Pensacola is in Escambia County.
David seeing reasons
This guy would have been a great candidate for abortion back about 1970.
Good Grief!! Has any body taken a look at the number of agencies involved with this??
“The following agencies cooperated in this investigation; the Florida State Fire Marshal Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations, the Pensacola Fire Department, the Pensacola Police Department, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Internal Revenue Service.”
Why on earth is the ATF and IRS involved in this?? Agencies with nothing to do?
Abortion is & always will be a very debatable topic! However as stated earlier, just bc one place burned, doesn’t stop it from continuing to happen elsewhere or even there, once their insurance pays & damages are fixed! I also have seen plenty of protesters on 9th Ave… to debate is always the best option, some feel they have no choice (whether raped, incest, or physically and/or financially unable to care for the child, etc..) to look at the mugshot makes u wonder if…1. He disagreed w abortion as a whole.. 2. He wanted 3 hots & a cot…. 3. He had nothing better to do on New Yrs Day! Lets stop putting people n jail & taking care of them on our dollar!!! We need alternatives, not sure about old school ways, but something has to be better than this!!!
I swear I saw this guy with a sign..WILL WORK FOR FOOD…looks like em though dont it….enough said..well he is being fed anyway..by the taxpayer…but thats OK with me on some things…he will be going down the river soon…throw him in the slammer…
More of our hard earned tax dollars imprisoned!!
Probably did it because he is nothing but trouble. Prison won’t teach
him anything any better either.
I dont believe in abortions but setting the buildings on fire or killing abortion doctors is not going to stop abortions.There will be another building or another Doctor to take its place.
I don’t need to leave a comment. The photo speaks a million words.
Probably did it just because he didn’t have a job or a place to live.
Looks like a deadbeat that needs to get a job. However since he couldn’t do that and wanted to burn a building down, guess he can be kept busy now making license plates.
looks like a fine upstanding fellow