Grand Jury Indicts Suspect in Northeast Medford Drive-By Shootings

Medford, Oregon- A Jackson County grand jury has indicted a Jacksonville contractor in connection with a pair of drive-by shootings in northeast Medford in late July. Though investigators said no injuries occurred, prosecutors said the evidence does not support aggressive intent like attempted murder.

The Jackson County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday that Joel Matthew Caswell, 31, was indicted on two counts each of unlawful use of a weapon, recklessly endangering another person, first-degree criminal mischief, and unauthorized use of a vehicle.

The charges stem from two incidents in the early morning hours of July 26 and July 27, when shots were fired into a residence on the 3600 block of Carnelian Street. Investigators noted the home was occupied, though no one was harmed.

Prosecutors said the evidence does not show that Caswell intended to injure anyone—a requirement for attempted murder or assault charges. “The evidence currently known at this time supports that Mr. Caswell had other intentions for firing the shots into the home,” the DA’s office said in its statement.

Caswell was arrested on August 27 after being linked via surveillance video, witness tips, and a blue Dodge pickup truck identified by investigators. The Medford Police Department said Caswell was already on federal supervised pre-trial release stemming from a separate FBI indictment when he was taken into custody at the Jackson County Jail without bail on the local charges.

In April 2025, Caswell was federally indicted on nearly two dozen felony charges—including wire fraud, tax evasion, aggravated identity theft, and other tax-related offenses—related to his alleged fraudulent use of pandemic relief programs such as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). His federal case is scheduled for trial on November 17 in Eugene.

Court records also show that Caswell faces multiple civil lawsuits, with unpaid judgments totaling in the millions. Over the past decade, he registered around 20 business entities across the state—ranging from logging enterprises to a traffic-safety analytics startup—and at one point attempted to fund an ultimate frisbee team using Small Business Administration loans, a plan that left players unpaid.

In November 2023, he was arrested on local charges including unlawful manufacture and possession of marijuana. Those charges were later dismissed by the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.

Following his indictment on local drive-by shooting charges, Caswell was arraigned Tuesday in Jackson County Circuit Court and remains in custody at the Jackson County Jail. Prosecutors added that no additional information will be released due to the ongoing proceedings.

If convicted, penalties could be substantial. Under Oregon law, unlawful use of a weapon and first-degree criminal mischief are Class C felonies—punishable by up to five years in prison and fines up to $125,000. Unauthorized use of a vehicle is similarly categorized. Recklessly endangering another person is a Class A misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of one year behind bars and fines up to $6,250. Final sentencing would depend on state guidelines and Caswell’s prior criminal history.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Brannon Schwab and Samantha Blount.

All suspects are believed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.