PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A federal jury convicted Daniel E. Saad, 51, of Spencer, Mass., Friday on charges of arson and wire fraud for orchestrating the 2014 firebombing of his own restaurant, Snow’s Clam Box Restaurant and Pub in Glocester, R.I., in a desperate bid to collect nearly $1 million in insurance proceeds. The verdict marks the end of a years-long investigation into a crime that endangered lives and exposed a web of lies, alibi tampering, and financial desperation.
Saad was found guilty on one count of arson, one count of using fire to commit wire fraud, and two counts of wire fraud after a three-week trial. Evidence presented by federal prosecutors revealed that in the early hours of November 30, 2014, Saad entered the clam shack through an unlocked rear door, doused the bar area with gasoline, and ignited the fuel before fleeing. The blaze erupted just after 5:00 a.m., forcing a tenant living in an apartment above the restaurant to escape through smoke and flames.
At the time of the fire, Saad owed nearly $2.5 million to banks, private lenders, and vendors. Prosecutors argued the arson was a calculated move to escape crushing debt. Within hours of the fire, Saad initiated insurance claims via email — a digital paper trail that, combined with cell tower data, would later prove his undoing. Forensic analysis placed Saad’s cellphone within feet of the restaurant at the exact moment the fire began, contradicting his initial claims to law enforcement.
During multiple interviews, Saad told investigators he was at his Massachusetts home or at his estranged wife’s residence in Webster, Mass. His wife initially backed up his alibi — until she appeared before a federal grand jury and later testified at trial, admitting Saad had asked her to lie. She told the court he was not with her the night of the fire, dismantling the last pillar of his defense.
“Acts of arson pose a tremendous public safety threat, to the public generally and to first responders. This case is no exception,” said U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha. “That this defendant would deliberately burn a building he owned to the ground, with his tenant living in the building and present at the time, demonstrates his utter disregard for the safety of others. He now faces at least a decade in federal prison for this behavior. Every day is well-deserved.”
Saad, who had been free on unsecured bond since his arrest on March 31, 2016, was taken into federal custody immediately after the jury’s verdict. He faces a statutory minimum of 10 years in prison for using fire to commit wire fraud, with sentencing scheduled for April 27, 2017, before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. Arson and wire fraud each carry maximum penalties of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. The case was investigated by ATF, Glocester Police, Rhode Island State Fire Marshal, and Rhode Island State Police, with key cellular data assistance from the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team.
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Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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