CASS CO.— In a chilling case that uncovered a conspiracy of child exploitation, a Cass County woman has been sentenced to 252 years in prison after being convicted of child molesting and promotion of child sexual trafficking involving a juvenile girl.
Amanda Sayger, 38, received the lengthy sentence on Thursday in Cass Circuit Court, totaling multiple consecutive sentences for her crimes. Sayger received six separate 40-year sentences for Level 1 felony counts of child molesting, plus an additional 12 years for another child molesting charge.
Sayger was found guilty in October on a total of 11 charges, which included promoting child sexual trafficking, multiple counts of child molesting, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
“We’re very grateful to the jury for listening to the difficult evidence in this case, and to Detective Rozzi for a thorough, professional investigation,” Cass County Prosecutor Noah Schafer said. “We’re also especially proud of the victim for having the courage to make her voice heard and help achieve a measure of justice for what was done to her.”
The investigation began in 2023 after the Logansport Police Department received a report alleging a juvenile female was sexually assaulted by a man named Mikel Fort.
Cass County Prosecutor Noah Schafer released details that showed the investigation uncovered evidence that Sayger was a co-conspirator who helped arrange the sexual encounters in exchange for money. Furthermore, the juvenile victim was allegedly given alcohol and THC gummies during the assaults.
During the trial, Sayger claimed she was the individual engaging in sex for money, not the juvenile. Still, prosecutors determined this contradicted both her previous testimony and the evidence gathered by detectives.
Sayger’s co-defendant, Mikel Fort, faces numerous preliminary charges in the case, including nine counts of child molesting (Level 1 and Level 4 felonies), child exploitation, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was formerly an emergency preparedness specialist for the State of Indiana and a director of Cass County Emergency Medical Services.
Fort is scheduled to appear for his jury trial in Cass Circuit Court on March 9, 2026.
This historic 252-year sentence in Cass County comes amid a broader effort in Indiana to levy substantial prison terms for those convicted of serious child sex crimes.
- In a separate Cass County case earlier this year, a Peru man, Scott VanArsdale, was sentenced to 138 years in prison after being convicted of 10 different charges related to child molestation. Cass County Prosecutor Noah Schafer noted at the time that the victims in that case “suffered immense lifelong harm” from the defendant’s actions.
- The Southern District of Indiana U.S. Attorney’s Office has also pursued lengthy federal sentences for child predators, including a Westfield man sentenced to 38 years in federal prison in a case involving the sexual exploitation of a child and trafficking in child sexual abuse materials.
The stiff penalties reflect the severity of the crimes and the commitment of law enforcement agencies across Indiana to pursue and prosecute individuals who harm children aggressively.
