Hamilton man jailed in Rent-A-Center, CSL Plasma arsons

HAMILTON — An unemployed Hamilton man is accused of setting fires that caused major damage to three businesses within a 24-hour period last month.

Hamilton police say 43-year-old Jason L. Bryant confessed to Hamilton Fire Department arson investigator Trevor Snider, who arrested and charged Bryant Thursday night with two counts of arson and one count of vandalism, all felony charges.

Bryant is accused of breaking out the glass to the entry doors early Nov. 1 to the BMV at 1720 S. Erie Blvd. and then a short time later he allegedly set fire to furniture inside Rent-A-Center, 2524 Dixie Highway in the Hamilton Plaza. The fire caused major damage to the store and its contents, and caused extensive smoke damage to Family Dollar and A Chatti Hair Salon, according to Hamilton police.

Within 24 hours, a trash can was set ablaze against the CSL Plasma building, 3255 Dixie Highway. The fire was extinguished before the building sustained damage.

The second fire is how Hamilton investigators identified Bryant as a suspect. “The night of the fire he told Fairfield officers that he wanted to burn the building down due to not being able to donate plasma at the center any longer,” the incident report stated.

Bryant is being held on $40,000 bond in the Butler County Jail.