A former deputy of Jay County was taken into custody on the basis of a warrant in Miami County, as confirmed by Indiana State Police. Derek J. Bogenschutz, aged 36, faces charges of identity deception, a Level 6 Felony with potential implications he used a fictitious online persona to harass individuals, notably an elementary school teacher he previously encountered while serving as part-time school resource officer, and her significant other.
According to WFFT, the investigation was initiated at the behest of the Jay County Sheriff and led by Indiana State Police from the Fort Wayne Post since this past February. Documents assert that Bogenschutz operated under the guise of "Katie Morgan" on Facebook, meshing his personal entanglements with his professional duties, a digital phantom designed to sow discord in the lives of those he once purported to protect.
The ruse intricacies detail how Bogenschutz purportedly sent messages to the school teacher, alleging "Katie Morgan" was romantically involved with her boyfriend, and provided manufactured screenshots to insinuate authenticity, as per reports from the Indiana State Police obtained by InkFreeNews. The teacher's boyfriend eventually alerted Union City police to the harassment. The deputy who was informed about the incident remembered Bogenschutz mentioning the "Katie Morgan" account, leading to the uncovering of his deceptive practices.
The legal proceedings for Bogenschutz are expected to transport him to Jay County later this week where the man will be confronted with the full weight of his purported masquerade, according to WISH-TV. Meanwhile, Bogenschutz remains cloaked in the presumption of innocence, a cornerstone of justice, irrespective of the identity he chose to don. All suspects, Bogenschutz included, retain this presumption until proven guilty within the court's confines.
