There’s FINALLY a satisfying ending to a case that will no doubt keep the Michigan Attorney General’s Office busy for a while; one that explains why WLNS chickened out on their news coverage.
If you’ve been following clutch’s coverage, you already know all about resident “a**hole” Casey Wagner, the Michigan Department of Corrections (DOC) employee who’s been terrorizing his elderly neighbor, Lois Laroe, by setting off illegal explosions near her home.
Local leaders? They’ve looked the other way every single step of the way. Sheriff Charlie Noll, Prosecutor Kyle Butler, and township officials have refused to enforce their own ordinances, leaving Lois to fend for herself.
Even though people could hear the blasts miles away.
When it seemed that the end was near and the township would FINALLY enforce the ordinance thanks to advice from legal counsel, a Township staff member abruptly left office.
Michigan House Rep Gina Johnsen personally discouraged Lois from seeking help through the Attorney General’s office; a move that raised a lot of eyebrows.
But until tonight, one big question remained: Why?
What made Casey think he was untouchable?
Ladies and gentlemen, we officially know why.
The Family Connection
Turns out, Casey Wagner’s protection racket is a family affair.
Because according to multiple eyewitness accounts, police reports, and a trail of local reporting, Casey is dating Amanda Hodges, the daughter of Ionia County Board of Commissioner David Hodges.
Even though Prosecutors and Sheriffs are supposed to be independent actors, Boards of Commissioners can push agendas and pressure because they determine the funding priorities for a county.
Worse yet, Amanda was reportedly present the day “balloons” (read: explosives) went off over neighboring homes, potentially making her an accomplice, explaining why the IED case was abruptly closed.
Her name makes an appearance over multiple police reports.
Behind-the-Scenes Interference
It doesn’t stop there.
Commissioner Hodges’ alleged meddling has a wider reach.
He’s already been accused of interfering in politics in other townships, which apparently happened in Ionia Township, too.
Former Ionia Township Supervisor Kurt Scheuer allegedly resigned under pressure after he planned to pursue ordinance violations against Casey Wagner.
Meanwhile, by all appearances, Commissioner Hodges leaned on Sheriff Noll, Prosecutor Butler, and local investigators to look the other way. Even Rep Gina Johnsen, also an Ionia County Resident, pressured Lois not to push for accountability, having meetings with Casey and his Mother, without Lois present.
Did I mention that David Hodges also endorsed her?
Or that the current Detective on Lois’s case is the son of Commissioner Phil Hesche?
It’s Bigger Than One Family
If you think this stops at Tannerite in a backyard, think again.
What’s happening in Ionia Township is a classic case of small-town power gone rogue:
- Local leaders refusing to enforce the law
- Elected officials silencing whistleblowers
- Political connections shielding bad actors
All while an elderly woman is left with PTSD, hearing loss, property damage, and a ruined sense of safety in her own home.
Prosecution on a Silver Platter
If the Michigan’s Attorney General’s Office is serious about upholding the law, it’s all right here. The paper trail, the eyewitnesses, the connections.
It’s time to stop pretending “Second Amendment Sanctuary” and hidden family connections means you can terrorize your neighbors with high-powered explosives.
It’s time to stop protecting the powerful while they laugh at the rules everyone else has to follow.
Lois, and every neighbor who’s ever been told to “sit down and shut up” deserves better.
Got tips, documents, or your own local horror story? Email us at Clutch Justice, because we’re not afraid to shine the light where your local officials won’t.
