Rogue Valley businessman and former owner of the Portland Nitro ultimate frisbee team Joel Caswell has pleaded guilty to eight felony fraud charges this week as part of an agreement with prosecutors.
Caswell was indicted on 23 charges last year for tax evasion, identity theft and falsifying records to obtain funds through COVID relief programs. Court documents allege Caswell submitted fake payroll records, among other allegations.
The indictment alleges Caswell used $70,000 of the federal funds to rent Providence Park in Portland for an 8-day ultimate frisbee tournament.
He faced up to 30 years in prison.
But prosecutors will recommend a sentence of three and a half years as part of a plea agreement. Caswell must also pay $1.2 million in restitution to the IRS and a $1 million fine.
Caswell has ownership interests in multiple logging and construction businesses in Southern Oregon, including Siskiyou Cascade Resources, Siskiyou Cascade Construction and Siskiyou Cascade Industries. He’s faced dozens of civil lawsuits over the past decade related to those operations. In 2024, Caswell sold the Portland Nitros.
While Caswell was on pre-trial release for the fraud charges, authorities arrested him for involvement in two drive-by shootings in Medford. The Jackson County District Attorney’s Office has charged Caswell with unlawful use of a weapon, recklessly endangering another person and criminal mischief.
Authorities say Caswell shot into a residence but did not intend to injure the occupants. Caswell pleaded not guilty to the charges. He has remained in jail on federal hold for violating his pre-trial release but the court removed bail for his shooting charges because the case passed a 60-day deadline for trial.
Sentencing for Caswell’s fraud case is in October while a pre-trial conference for his drive-by shooting charges will take place on June 15.
