By Bill Raack, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – A former employee has been charged with setting fire last year to the Copia restaurant and adjoining loft apartments in downtown St. Louis.
26 year old Gilbert Summers of St. Louis faces two charges of arson in connection with the fire, which did significant damage to the restaurant and the Vanguard loft apartments on December 29.
U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway says Summers no longer worked for Copia when the fire was set.
"He was a back bar guy. I think akin to being a bus boy, you know, sort of a runner. He does have one prior conviction for robbery. I believe he is still on probation on those state charges. I don't know how long he was employed by Copia."
Summers could be sentenced up to 20 years in prison and fined up to $250 million on each of the two arson charges.