chattanoogan.com
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee -- General Sessions Court Judge Bob Moon said the man charged with setting a fire in a downtown hotel is "an unwelcome undesirable" illegal alien.
Judge Moon told Bario Gomez, "Undesirables like you are not welcome in this country. You are a Latino terrorist who entered this country illegally and soon plotted significant personal injury and damage to the people and businesses in our community."
Authorities said Gomez is an illegal alien with no proof of identification. Officials also said he gave police a false name.
The INS placed a hold on Gomez, 20, after charges of aggravated arson and aggravated vandalism were filed against him.
Judge Moon told him, "It is undesirables like you who create many unjustifiable problems and prejudices upon the good people who enter this country legally in chasing a dream for a better life for themselves and their families.
"Mr. Gomez, you nor any other citizen from a foreign land has a right to enter this country; you simply have a privilege to enter this country through the proper legal channels.
Million Dollar Bond Set in Hotel Arson
wrcbtv.com
A Hamilton County judge dramatically increased bond for a man accused in a downtown Chattanooga hotel arson.
20 year old Bario Gomez appeared in Sessions Court this morning for a preliminary hearing. Judge Bob Moon heard testimony from the manager of the Residence Inn where the fire happened on August 11th.
Gomez is accused of starting the fire by placing a toaster in a microwave oven then starting the oven. He also is accused of vandalizing the room before he left.
No one was hurt but the hotel manager testified how the fire endangered hundreds of lives. Police later caught Gomez in a grass median along Highway 27 near the hotel. Judge Moon increased the bond for Gomez from $10,000 to a $1 million. Gomez was returned to the Hamilton County Jail and his case was bound over to the grand jury.
