Selden man pleads not guilty to arson, fraud after Coram pizzeria fire

A pizza parlor owner stood by as a friend dropped a homemade bomb into his Coram restaurant in order to collect insurance money, Suffolk prosecutors said Tuesday.

Prosecutors said Michael Massian, 26, of Selden, was outside Apizza Italy on Route 112 in January 2009 when Bryan Vite, 22, of Ridge, set fire to the restaurant by dropping a Molotov cocktail through a vent on the roof.

The fire endangered people in a nearby store but did not hurt anyone, Assistant District Attorney Peter Timmons said.

A Suffolk grand jury last week indicted Massian on two counts of first-degree arson and one count each of second-degree arson, third-degree arson, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree criminal solicitation and third-degree insurance fraud.

Massian pleaded not guilty to the charges Tuesday in Suffolk County Court. He is to return to court Aug. 17.

County Court Judge Gary Weber ordered Massian held on $300,000 bond or $150,000 bail.

After the fire, investigators found five unused incendiary devices on the roof, Timmons said. He said prosecutors have copies of text messages between Massian and Vite in which they planned the arson.

The fire was "substantial" but did not destroy the building, Timmons said, adding Massian reopened the restaurant briefly before closing it.

Massian failed to collect about $10,000 in insurance money, Timmons said.

Vite pleaded guilty in October 2009 to second-degree attempted arson and is awaiting sentencing. Vite faces a maximum sentence of 9 years in prison, Timmons said.

An attorney for Massian could not be reached for comment.