08/05/2026
PASS THE BUCK CASE #1
#14 Joe Lupa
Caught 2/15/2024
This was our first case in Elkhart County, and it came with evidence from 3 different teams and multiple decoys. The evidence involved alleged solicitation, dissemination, grooming, and more.
Instead of getting results, we got ignored.
When we pushed for an answer, the investigator told us:
“I looked into the case and found that the Prosecutor’s Office declined to file charges on it. I cannot speak directly to their reasoning as it would be inappropriate for me to speak on their behalf. If you have any questions regarding the decision made by them, you would have to reach out to their office and see if they would provide an explanation.”
So we reached out to the Prosecutor’s Office immediately.
That was 12 days ago.
Still no answer.
The Sheriff’s Department points us toward the prosecutor, and the prosecutor says nothing. Meanwhile, a case backed by multiple teams and multiple decoys gets pushed aside with no explanation.
This was our first Elkhart County case, and apparently our first lesson in how the buck gets passed.
We are still waiting, and we are not going away.