The owner of a St. Cloud bar pleaded guilty to arson Thursday, after investigators determined he was responsible for setting fire to his business in order to collect insurance money.
Andrew Charles Welsh, 42, was arrested in December 2020 with a federal grand jury indictment, alleging arson, use of fire to commit a federal felony and wire fraud, following the total destruction of his business, the Press Bar and Parlor in February of 2020. According to court documents, Welsh started the fire in his basement office, using gasoline as an accelerant. The fire subsequently spread, resulting in the loss of the building. The original complaint said investigators found the pattern of the fire was consistent with the presence of an accelerant, while specially trained dogs and lab tests were able to back up their findings.