Rockford restaurant owner faces federal arson charges for fire that destroyed his business

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Rockford restaurant owner faces federal arson charges for fire that destroyed his business

The owner of a popular burger stand that was destroyed by fire faces federal arson charges.

On Tuesday, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging that James Purifoy, 50, “maliciously damaged and destroyed, by means of fire and explosive materials, a building at 201 15th Ave. in Rockford, Illinois.”

The building was known as 15th & Chris, a business Purifoy owned and operated from July 2014 until the night of the fire, Jan. 22, 2023.

In the days following the fire, Purifoy — through his attorney Elder Granger II — claimed he was attacked by three men wearing hoodies who beat him and knocked him unconscious before they set his business on fire and left him for dead.

More: Rockford restaurant 15th and Chris demolished a year after fire

Purifoy escaped the fire, Granger said, and was attempting to drive home to check on his family when police found him passed out in his vehicle. Granger said Purifoy was badly injured, suffering third-degree burns on 25% of his body.

Granger said Purifoy was being threatened by a ******** drug cartel and that in the weeks leading up to the fire, his client received emails and text messages demanding money.

The fire was under investigation for more than two years by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Rockford Fire Department and the Rockford Police Department.

If convicted, Purifoy faces 5 to 20 years in federal prison.

An arraignment is scheduled for 10 a.m. May 27 at the Stanley J. Roszkowski United States Courthouse in Rockford.

More: Accessing local journalism is even easier with the Register Star app

Corina Curry is the editor of the Rockford Register Star. She can be reached at *****@*****.tld.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star:

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