Alleged Tyler School kidnapper has court appearance March 23

Joe Alex Casas, 30, of Van Buren Township appeared by zoom from the Wayne County for his probable cause conference before 34th District Court Judge Tina Brooks Green on March 2.
Casas is charged with eight counts in the Feb. 16 kidnapping of two students from Tyler Elementary School in Van Buren Township.
His appointed defense attorney Earl Washington said he needed discovery from Van Buren Police and Special Prosecutor Sona Movsisyan said she needs a protective order for the children’s statements, so Judge Green adjourned the probable cause conference until 8:30 a.m., March 23.
Van Buren Township Police Chief Jason Wright said at about 9:34 a.m. on Feb. 16 it was reported that two students left the school with their mother’s boyfriend who was known to school officials but did not have permission to take the children.
The mother reported that she did not know where her children were and that she had intended to leave her boyfriend that day as she was frightened of him, Chief Wright said.
She reported that her boyfriend took her children to stop her from leaving him. Uniformed officers began investigating and utilized the township’s new Flock camera system, that takes photos of license plates and vehicles, to assist with this investigation.
The VBT police dispatch center sent out a message to area police departments to be on the look-out for the suspect and his vehicle, and a Canton Township police officer located the suspect vehicle and effected a traffic stop on it.
Both children were taken into protective custody and the suspect was detained. VBT police officers responded to the traffic stop and took custody of the children and placed Casas under arrest.
VBT police detectives conducted their investigation and learned that the mother had been the victim of domestic violence, felonious assault, and unlawful imprisonment leading up to this event, Chief Wright said.
The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office charged Casas with:
• Two felony counts of kidnapping – child enticement, with a penalty of life or any term of years;
• Three felony counts of unlawful imprisonment, with a penalty of 15 years and/or $20,000;
• One felony count of assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault), with a penalty of 4 years and/or $2,000;
• One count of domestic violence: 93- day misdemeanor and/or $500; and
• Habitual offender – fourth offense notice. The maximum penalty cannot be less than the maximum term for the first conviction.
On Feb. 18, Casas was arraigned via video from the VBT lockup before 34th District Court Judge Lisa Martin and a not-guilty plea was entered. A cash bond of $250,000 was set and if he is released he must wear a GPS tether. Casas remains in custody.