Arson suspect arrested, charged for setting fires at Amtrak’s Beech Grove maintenance facility

For Immediate Release:

June 28, 2021

BEECH GROVE, Indianapolis – A Beech Grove man was arrested June 28 in Indianapolis on federal criminal charges for allegedly setting fire to two buildings at the Amtrak Facility in Beech Grove in the early morning on May 2, 2021.

Casey Sage, 34, was charged with arson, and, if convicted, faces a 5- to 20-year sentence in prison, a press release from the US Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Indianapolis, said.

According to court documents, Sage trespassed onto the grounds of Amtrak’s Beech Grove maintenance facility on the night of May 1, 2021. Surveillance video captured Sage as he moved around the Amtrak facility rail yard. In the early morning hours of May 2, 2021, Sage allegedly entered two storage buildings in the rail yard containing various flammable or hazardous chemicals and other materials and ignited each building and its contents using railroad flares he picked up at the site. Both buildings quickly erupted in flames, and video surveillance captured several explosions and flying debris as first responders arrived and fought the flames. The buildings and their contents were destroyed, and Amtrak has estimated that the fires resulted in approximately one million dollars in damages.

“Today’s actions represent our commitment to pursuing every avenue possible to seek justice and hold accountable those who perpetrate extremely dangerous crimes like arson,” said Basil Demczak, the Special Agent in Charge of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General’s Central Field Office. “These crimes not only put Amtrak’s property at risk, but could have jeopardized the lives of Amtrak employees and first responders. We appreciate the seamless collaboration with the U.S. Attorney's Office as well as the sustained professionalism exhibited by our investigative staff and partner agencies throughout the investigation.” In addition to Amtrak OIG, the case was investigated by the Amtrak Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Beech Grove Fire Department; Beech Grove Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; and the FBI.

Reports of fraud, waste, or abuse; criminal or unethical acts affecting Amtrak’s property or operations; or mismanagement in Amtrak programs or operations can be made 24 hours a day, seven days a week via the Amtrak OIG Hotline at 1-800-468-5469 or online at https://amtrakoig.gov/report-fraud-waste-abuse.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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