Cass County Prosecutor

07/28/2026

DEFENDANT IN CHILD S*XUAL ABUSE CASE DIES BY SU***DE DURING JURY TRIAL

PRESS RELEASE

LOGANSPORT – Prosecutor Noah Schafer confirms that Mikel Fort, who was on trial before a jury on charges of child s*xual abuse, died by su***de earlier today in Fort Wayne. Trial proceedings, which had resumed this morning, have been terminated as a result.

Fort’s codefendant Amanda Sayger was convicted at trial last year and is currently serving a sentence of more than 200 years.

"Our first thoughts today are with the victim and their family," said Prosecutor Schafer. "This case has already asked so much of them. They have shown extraordinary courage in coming forward and in preparing to testify again. While today's outcome was not the one we set out to achieve in the courtroom, we are deeply grateful that the victim will not have to relive this trauma on the witness stand a second time."

Schafer noted that, with Fort's codefendant already convicted and sentenced, today's events bring a measure of closure to a case that has spanned several years of investigation and litigation. That outcome would not have been achieved without the hard work of Chief Deputy Prosecutor Tom Lupke who began the trial and LPD Detective Jason Rozzi, whose investigation was instrumental in bringing the both defendants to justice.

"There is real closure here, and we take some measure of satisfaction in that," Schafer said. "But we want to be honest with this community: justice, in the fullest sense, has only been partially served. A jury did not have the opportunity to reach a verdict in this case, and the accountability our justice system is built to provide was cut short."

The office also extended its condolences to Fort’s family.

"Su***de is always a tragedy, regardless of the circumstances that precede it," Schafer said. "We recognize that the defendant leaves behind family members who are grieving today, and we extend our sympathy to them as they process this loss."

The Prosecutor's Office asks that the community respect the privacy of all those affected, including the victim and their family, as well as the family of the defendant, during this time.

07/27/2026

07/07/2026

CASS COUNTY MAN SENTENCED TO 120 YEARS FOR CHILD MOLESTNG

PRESS RELEASE

LOGANSPORT – Prosecutor Noah Schafer announced that Lucas Titus, 32, was sentenced today in Cass Superior Court 2 to 120 years in the Department of Corrections for child molesting. Titus was convicted following a jury trial in May of molesting three separate juveniles.

The investigation of Titus’ crimes was conducted by Detective Joe Nies of the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, and began when Rachel Clark of DCS responded to a report about the family for unrelated allegations. Superior Court 2 Judge Lisa Swaim noted that Titus betrayed a position of trust the victims will suffer lifelong harm from the defendant’s actions.

Said Prosecutor Noah Schafer of the case, “We are very grateful for Rachel Clark’s work in exposing these crimes, and to Detective Nies and the Cass County Sheriff’s Department for aggressively pursuing and investigating these cases. We are also tremendously proud of the victims for bravely facing the criminal who violated them, and we salute the jury who listened to the evidence and held this perpetrator accountable.”

07/01/2026

PROSECUTOR AND SHERIFF PUT S*X OFFENDERS ON NOTICE ABOUT COUNTY FAIR ATTENDANCE

PRESS RELEASE

LOGANSPORT – Cass County Prosecutor Noah Schafer and County Sheriff Ed Schroder announced today a joint commitment to ensuring the safety of families attending the Cass County Fair, taking place next week, in light of a new Indiana law taking effect this year.

Under recently passed legislation, individuals classified as "serious s*x offenders" — including s*xually violent predators and those convicted of certain offenses against children — are now prohibited from entering facilities or events that are primarily directed toward children under the age of 18. A violation of this law constitutes unlawful entry by a serious s*x offender, a criminal offense.

"This law gives us another tool to keep our kids safe at community events like the county fair," said Prosecutor Schafer. "We want every family who walks through those gates to feel confident their children are protected. If someone violates this law, we will prosecute to the fullest extent."

Sheriff Schroder echoed that commitment. "Our deputies will have an active presence throughout the fairgrounds for the entirety of the event. We'll be watching for any individual who is not permitted to be there under this new law, and we will take swift action, including arrest, if a violation occurs."

Both officials emphasized that the Cass County County Fair is a beloved community tradition, and their goal is to preserve that experience for local families.

"This is an excellent event for our community, and we intend to keep it that way," said Schafer. "Families should come out, enjoy the fair, and know that we're working together to keep it a safe environment."

Sheriff Schroder added, "We encourage anyone who sees something that concerns them to alert one of our deputies on site. We're here to help make sure this is a great week for everyone."

For more information about Indiana's s*x offender registry and restrictions, residents can visit the Indiana Department of Correction's S*x and Violent Offender Registry website. Citizens can also learn more at https://www.in.gov/prosecutors/casscounty/.

Send a message to learn more

06/02/2026

PROSECUTOR SHARES ONLINE TIPS FOR NATIONAL INTERNET SAFETY MONTH

PRESS RELEASE

LOGANSPORT – In 2005, the U.S. Senate designated June as National Internet Safety Month to raise awareness of internet dangers and highlight the need for education about online safety.

For prosecutors in particular, June is a time to highlight youth safety, especially for kids with social media access, as online risks have increased dramatically over the years.

In 2025, there was a staggering increase nationally in the number of reports the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) CyberTipline received related to online enticement of children for s*xual acts. Enticement is when a person communicates with someone believed to be a child on the internet with the intent to commit a s*xual offense or abduction.

This type of crime may include s*xtortion, in which a child is being groomed to take s*xually explicit images or ultimately meet face-to-face with someone for s*xual purposes, or to engage in a s*xual conversation online or, in some instances, to sell or trade the child’s s*xual images. This type of victimization takes place across every type of platform, including online gaming, social media, and messaging apps, according to NCMEC.

“Kids are getting access to technology at younger and younger ages,” said Prosecutor Noah Schafer. “The purpose of Internet Safety Month is to make people aware of the dangers that exist on social media platforms and other areas of the internet and to promote digital safety and use of protective measures to keep kids safe.”

Schafer explained there are several safety tips parents and guardians can follow with their kids. Building trust, having open communication, and setting boundaries are crucial. Parents should:
• Set clear rules around screen time, social media use, and online gaming.
• Only use apps and platforms with verified parental controls and privacy settings.
• Supervise internet access and teach basic online safety rules such as not clicking on unknown links, not accepting friend requests from strangers, and not sharing locations.
• Keep devices in shared spaces and teach kids about 'safe strangers' online.
• Start conversations early about digital footprints, encouraging them to be cautious about sharing personal information and pictures online.
• Regularly review your child’s apps, privacy settings, and device activity.

Schafer encourages community members to report suspicious online behavior to law enforcement immediately, including cyberbullying, exploitation attempts, or impersonation.

“Children need to know that the right thing to do is talk to an adult immediately if they feel uncomfortable in an online situation,” said Schafer. “Parents and guardians need to be proactive talking to their children and identify red flags (like asking for pictures or money) and discuss steps to take if things take a wrong turn. Don’t wait for a bad situation to occur before talking about this with your children.”

Other resources for online safety include:
https://www.missingkids.org/home
https://www.indianaprevention.org/blog-1/internetsafetymonth2025
https://www.in.gov/isp/icactf/parenting-tips/

05/08/2026

CASS COUNTY MAN CONVICTED OF MOLESTING THREE CHILDREN

PRESS RELEASE

LOGANSPORT – Prosecutor Noah Schafer announced that Lucas Titus, 32, of Lucerne, IN, was convicted today of three counts of Level 1 Felony Child Molesting following a jury trial in Cass Superior Court 2. Following three days of evidence, a jury deliberated for just over ninety minutes before returning a verdict of guilty on all charges. Deputy Prosecutor Jake Vent assisted Schafer in the presentation of the State’s case.

The charges stem from an investigation that began in November 2023 when DCS responded to a report about the defendant’s home in Lucerne, which he shared with Jessica Beeney, 31, also of Cass County, and her five minor children. Beeney was also charged with neglect in connection with the investigation for failing to keep the defendant away from the children after the allegations, to which she plead guilty in 2025.

Said Schafer of the verdict, “We’re very grateful to the jury for listening to the difficult evidence in this case, and to Rachel Clark at DCS for her hard work in protecting these children. We’re also especially proud of the victims for having the courage to come forward.”

Titus is scheduled to be sentenced by Cass Superior Court 2 Judge Lisa Swaim on July 7. He faces a maximum sentence of 150 years.

11/21/2025

TWELVE MILE WOMAN SENTENCED TO
252 YEARS FOR CHILD MOLESTING

PRESS RELEASE

LOGANSPORT – Prosecutor Noah Schafer announced that Amanda Sayger, 38, of Twelve Mile, IN, was sentenced to the maximum 252 years in the Department of Corrections at a sentencing hearing in Cass Circuit Court on Thursday. The sentencing hearing followed a guilty verdict after a jury trial in October to multiple counts of child molesting and conspiracy to commit child molesting, as well as promotion of child s*x trafficking a minor and neglect charges.

Prior to Thursday afternoon, Judge Stephen Kitts had never given a maximum sentence.