U.S. Attorney Christopher A. Crofts announced today that Ajay Jariwala, 51, of Albuquerque, N.M., has been indicted by a Wyoming Federal Grand Jury for his alleged involvement with a fire at the Hitching Post Inn on Sept. 15, 2010.
Jariwala has been charged with Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud; Conspiracy to Commit Arson; Conspiracy to Use Fire in the Commission of another Federal Felony; Aiding and Abetting Arson; Aiding and Abetting the Use of Fire in the Commission of Another Federal Felony and Wire Fraud.
Jariwala was arrested on January 17th, 2013 on these charges in Albuquerque, New Mexico and will make his initial appearance in federal court in New Mexico in the near future.
If convicted of all of these offenses, Jariwala will be subject to a term of not more than 110 years in federal prison, fines of not more that 1.5 million dollars, 3 years supervised release and $600 in special assessments.
The fire occurred on Sept. 15, 2010, and destroyed a large portion of the historic Cheyenne hotel.
An Indictment is only an accusation. In every criminal case, the accused is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty, and the government always has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is leading the investigation with assistance from the Cheyenne Police Department and the Cheyenne Fire Department.
As the investigation into the fire is ongoing, no further comment regarding the case may be made at this time.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
