Beech Grove arsonist sentenced to 8 years in federal prison for Amtrak and Greenwood building fires causing more than $1 million in damage | USAO-SDIN

INDIANAPOLIS — Casey Sage, 35, of Beech Grove, Indiana, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to arson of federal property and arson of property of an organization receiving aid federal finance.

According to court documents, on May 1, 2021, Sage, without permission, entered the Amtrak facility located at 202 Garstang Street in Beech Grove. Amtrak, a federally owned company, uses this facility for the repair and maintenance of locomotives and passenger cars. A little after midnight, Sage lit a flare and threw it into a building used to store acetone, paint, denatured alcohol, varnish, spray paint, degreaser, engine starting fluid and paint stripper. This quickly ignited a fire, which spread to another nearby building which was also used to store flammable materials. Both buildings were destroyed by fire. In total, Sage caused more than $1.1 million in damage to Amtrak facilities.

Investigators also discovered that weeks before the Amtrak fire, Sage entered his ex-girlfriend’s apartment in Greenwood, Indiana, at an apartment complex receiving Section 8 funding from the through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. Sage intentionally started a fire in the master bedroom of the apartment. The fire eventually spread to most of the apartment before being successfully extinguished. This arson caused more than $100,000 in damage to the building and approximately $10,000 in material loss to the tenant of the apartment.

“The arson attacks committed by the defendant were outrageous conduct that endangered apartment complex residents and emergency personnel,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I appreciate the hard work of investigators and prosecutors who have come together across agencies to identify and vigorously prosecute the accused, and the first responders who are risking themselves to ensure public safety. Today’s heavy sentence demonstrates that those who commit arson with complete disregard for public life and safety will be held accountable. »

“Today’s sentencing successfully concludes a rapid, complex and highly collaborative investigation that brought together multiple agencies with the common goal of protecting the community by removing a dangerous criminal from the streets,” said Basil Demczak, Constable special in charge. from the Central Field Office of the Amtrak Inspector General’s Office. “We not only appreciate the dedication of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and all agencies involved, but we are grateful for the support of members of the Beech Grove community in helping our team solve this crime.”

“Defendant risked the lives and safety of numerous people, both at Amtrak facilities and at a public subdivision, in addition to causing more than $1 million in damage to federal and personal property,” said Daryl S. McCormick, special agent in the ATF’s Columbus Field Division Chief. “ATF will continue to work with our local, state and federal partners to ensure that those who use violence to endanger our community pay the price for those actions.”

“After the Beech Grove Fire Department successfully extinguished the arson fire, our department worked with local, state and federal authorities to develop evidence leading to this guilty plea,” said the chief of the Amtrak police, Sam Dotson. “Our Heavy Maintenance Center employs nearly 500 Amtrak employees and is a vital part of our nationwide network, so protecting it and helping prosecute those who damage it is an important part of the service’s mission.

The cases were investigated by the Amtrak Inspector General’s Office, Amtrak Police, Beech Grove Police Department, Greenwood Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigation and FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge James Patrick Hanlon. As part of the sentence, Judge Hanlon ordered that Sage be supervised by the US Probation Office for five years after his release from federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys William McCoskey and Adam Eakman who prosecuted the case.