KINGSTON, N.H. (WHDH) - A Kingston, New Hampshire man has been convicted of arson charges for breaking into and burning down a Chinese restaurant in 2018.
John Gates, 45, was convicted on six felonies related to the January 2018 blaze at Carriage Town Plaza that damaged Asian Gourmet Restaurant that it was never able to reopen, Rockingham County Attorney Patricia Conway and New Hampshire Fire Marshal Paul Parisi announced Friday.
Prosecutors say Gates used a chisel to break into the restaurant, stole about $400 and more than 200 scratch tickets, and then threw Molotov cocktails into the building in order to burn down the business.
Gates was convicted of arson, attempted arson, two counts of burglary, being a felon in possession of a Molotov cocktail and use of a Molotov cocktail.
He was previously convicted of identity fraud in 2002.
Prosecutors showed that Gates had recently broken up with a woman in Turkey with whom he had an online relationship and was making arrangments to travel there to surprise her at the time of the fire.
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