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A Bryon man accused of setting fire to the Kentucky Fried Chicken in La Salle was granted pre-trial release Thursday while he awaits trial.
Raymond McHugh, 33, made his first appearance Thursday in La Salle County Circuit Court after being picked up on a warrant charging him with arson, a Class 2 felony carrying up to seven years in prison.
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He was released with conditions – the crime happened three years ago, undercutting any claim he’s an active threat to society – and ordered to return Sept. 18 before La Salle County Circuit Judge Michelle A. Vescogni. McHugh applied for, and was granted, the services of the public defender.
The charge was filed Wednesday following an investigation into the 2022 blaze that destroyed the KFC at 145 Third St., La Salle. The building had to be razed and only the signage and landscaping remain.
The fire was quickly deemed suspicious and McHugh, a former employee, was soon considered a person of interest, La Salle police said in a Wednesday press release.