Feb 20, 2009 9:01 pm US/Eastern
Several Arrests Made In Coatesville Arsons
COATESVILLE, Pa. (CBS 3) ―
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Suspect Roger Leon Barlow is one of two people arrested in connection to an arson spree that has plagued the city of Coatesville.
CBS
Police arrested two suspects in connection to an arson spree that has plagued the city of Coatesville since the beginning of the year.
19-year-old Roger Leon Barlow Jr. of Downingtown was arrested Thursday morning and has been charged in connection to nine of the fires. According to police, Barlow allegedly confessed to intentionally setting nine fires in the arson-plagued city.
A second suspect, Mark Gilliam, 19, of West Chester was arrested late Thursday evening.
Investigators said Gilliam was arrested for the attempted arson of Happy Days Family Bistro in Thorndale, Pa. on January 25, 2009. Gilliam and Barlow are reportedly friends.
Gilliam was charged in federal court on Friday with maliciously attempting to set fire to the business. According to court records, after being rejected from the West Bradford Fire Department, Gilliam bought his own firefighter gear and falsely identified himself as a firefighter.
According to a police affidavit, Barlow allegedly confessed to setting nine fires in Coatesville, including a blaze on Fleetwood Street that destroyed 15 row homes on January 25.
Authorities labeled Barlow as a pyromaniac who got a thrill out of setting the fires.
Sources tell CBS 3 Barlow's arrest occurred after his name was brought to the attention of police during the investigation.
There have been a total of 18 arson fires in the city of Coatesville since the beginning of the year and an additional five have been set outside city limits.
Investigators do not believe Barlow is responsible for all of the arsons that have occurred in and around Coatesville.
"We're not sure that Mr. Barlow is the only person involved in the ones he has been charged with and of course there are some others that are unsolved at this point," Chester County District Attorney Joe Carroll said.
A motive for the arsons was not immediately known, but investigators do not believe it was gang-related or a hate crime.
Investigators searched Barlow's Downingtown apartment Thursday evening searching for possible evidence.
"They say he admitted to it, but you don't know, you never know," Barlow's father Roger Sr. said. "I know there's other people, he didn't do this by himself."
Barlow has been charged with arson, aggravated assault and other related offenses. He is being held on $9 million inside a Chester County jail.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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