Arsonist sentenced to eight years in prison for torching Amtrak facilities, apartment building

For Immediate Release
September 29, 2022

INDIANAPOLIS – A Beech Grove man was sentenced September 20, 2022, to 8 years in federal prison for burning down two Amtrak buildings on its Beech Grove maintenance facility and for setting an apartment ablaze in Greenwood weeks earlier.

According to court documents, Casey Sage, 35, of Beech Grove, trespassed onto the grounds of Amtrak’s Beech Grove maintenance facility on the night of May 1, 2021. In the early morning hours, Sage ignited a railroad flare and threw it into a building used to store highly flammable products such as acetone, paint, denatured alcohol, varnish, spray paint, degreaser, engine starting fluid, and paint remover. This quickly started a fire, which spread to another building close by that was also used to store flammable material. Video surveillance captured explosions and flying debris as first responders arrived and fought the flames. Both buildings were destroyed, causing more than $1.1 million in damages to the Amtrak facility.

During the investigation, investigators discovered that Sage also set fire to his ex-girlfriend’s apartment in Greenwood a few weeks before the Amtrak fire. Sage intentionally started a fire in her master bedroom. The fire eventually spread to most of her apartment and caused damage to two other units before it was successfully extinguished. Sage caused more than $100,000 in damages to the apartment building and approximately $10,000 in property loss to the apartment tenant.

“Today’s sentencing brings a successful end to a fast-paced, complex, and highly collaborative investigation that brought several agencies together with a common goal of safeguarding the community by taking a dangerous criminal off the streets,” said Basil Demczak, Special Agent in Charge of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General Central Field Office. “We not only appreciate the dedication of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and all of the agencies involved, but we are grateful for the support of members of the Beech Grove community in helping our team solve this crime.”

In addition to the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, the case was investigated by the Amtrak Police Department; Beech Grove Police Department; Greenwood Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigation; and the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James Patrick Hanlon. As part of the sentence, Judge Hanlon ordered that Sage be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison.

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 via the Amtrak OIG Hotline at 1-800-468-5469 or online at https://direc.to/hPAu.

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