Police say a Silver Creek man manipulated another man into setting some vehicles on fire that belonged to his former employer.

Jerry Handley Harcourt, 52, of 173 Tom Bing Road, was charged with first-degree arson in connection with the June 19 fire at a Clifford Street lot owned by Loyd’s Towing, according to a warrant.

He was arrested at about 8:15 a.m. Thursday morning.

Harcourt was a former Loyd’s employee who had some conflict with the company, according to Pete Sailors, an investigator with the Rome Police Department.

Police said Harcourt did not commit the arson but that he manipulated Adam Hawk Tamsula, 23, of 712 E. 19th St., who actually went to the lot at about 3 a.m. on June 19 and set the vehicles on fire.

The damage was estimated at about $3,000.

Sailors said police do not believe there was ever a money exchange but that Harcourt just convinced Tamsula to commit the crime.

Tamsula turned himself into the Floyd County Jail on Tuesday on a felony arson charge, according to Floyd County Jail records, and was released later that day.

Harcourt remained in the Floyd County Jail late Friday.

“The cooperation of the community helped solve this case,” Sailors said.