A trio of fishermen who are accused of setting fire to a fishing boat in 2012 are heading to court.

James Simmons, 39, of Friendship, Jeffrey Luce, 36, of Whitefield and Frederick Campbell, 30, of Friendship, were all arrested June 19 on Wiscasset Superior Court warrants and charged with arson.

The trio is being held at Two Bridges Regional Jail on $50,000 cash bail.

Luce appeared via video monitor from Two Bridges Regional Jail on June 23 at the West Bath Court House.

Kenneth MacMaster investigated the case for the Maine State Fire Marshal’s office.

In MacMaster’s report he stated that an escalating rivalry between commercial fishermen Donald Simmons of Waldoboro and James Simmons (no relation) led to lines being cut, shots being fired and eventually, fires being lit.

James Simmons allegedly blamed Donald Simmons's sternman, Jonathan Sevon, for setting a fire at his house when his wife and daughter were home.

The fire, which occurred June 10, 2012, burned two structures related to James Simmons' commercial fishing operation; and Simmons claimed the damage to be in the range of $150,000.

Sevon and Donald Simmons claimed to be 45 miles off the coast when the fires occurred, according to court documents.

On June 21, 2012 the trio of James Simmons, and his two sternmen Campbell and Luce, allegedly traveled from Friendship to Waldoboro and burnt down the shed on Donald Simmons' property, which contained Daniel Reed Jr.'s uninsured boat.

The fire burnt Simmons' boathouse, which was valued at $65,000, and Reed's boat, which was valued at $160,000.

If charged, Class A crimes carry a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison and up to a $50,000 fine.