A Cass County jury in Logansport needed only about 90 minutes on Tuesday to convict 32-year-old Lucas Titus of Lucerne on three counts of child molesting. Titus now faces as much as 150 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2026. The convictions stem from allegations involving children who were living in a home Titus shared with a woman and her five children.
According to WTHR, the Indiana Department of Child Services opened an inquiry into the household after receiving a report in November 2023. The three counts against Titus are felonies, and the jury returned its verdict after roughly an hour and a half of deliberations, the outlet reported. Prosecutors said the case was built with help from child welfare specialists and local investigators.
"I am grateful to the jury and to Rachel Clark at DCS for protecting the children," Cass County Prosecutor Noah Schafer said, according to WTHR. Schafer also praised the speed of the verdict and the work of investigators. His office will handle the sentencing hearing in July.
Investigation and child‑welfare response
The Indiana Department of Child Services is the state agency that responds to reports of suspected abuse and neglect and conducts protective assessments. DCS operates the statewide child abuse hotline (1-800-800-5556) and coordinates safety planning with local law enforcement and prosecutors. Those procedures are routinely used when an assessment uncovers potential criminal conduct.
What comes next in court
Titus is set to return to court for sentencing on July 7, 2026, when a judge will weigh the state’s recommended punishment alongside any arguments from the defense. Prosecutors can request that the prison terms run consecutively, and the final sentence will reflect statutory limits, the judge’s discretion, reports from probation, and victim impact statements. Court calendars and filings are public records and will show whether the state seeks the maximum penalty.
For readers tracking the case, background on the local prosecutor’s office is available in the state directory for the Cass County Prosecutor's Office. This story will be updated with new court filings and statements from the defense or prosecutors as they become available.
