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JACSKON COUNTY, Ore. — A Jacksonville man pleaded guilty yesterday to tax evasion and bank fraud and agreed to pay more than $1 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Joel Matthew Caswell (31) pleaded guilty in the Portland U.S. District Court to three counts of tax evasion, three counts of willful failure to pay employment taxes, and one count each of bank fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
He Owns Multiple Logging and Construction Businesses
According to court documents, Caswell owns and manages the interests of multiple logging and construction businesses that employ about 40 people.
As the trustee and a beneficiary of the Caswell Family Trust, he failed to pay business taxes from 2018 to 2022.
During that time, he directed customers to write checks to him personally or to other companies to evade payments to the IRS.
Court documents also revealed that in separate incidents between 2022 and 2024, Caswell executed multiple acts of fraud in Oregon.
This involved submitting fabricated financial records to a bank, a private lender, and the Small Business Administration to secure loans.
He Stole Someone’s Identity to Obtain a Residential Mortgage
Caswell also used another individual’s name, Social Security number, and date of birth to obtain a residential mortgage.
As part of a plea agreement, he has agreed to pay $1,198,799.83 in restitution to the IRS.
Caswell faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine, and five years of supervised release.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 9, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.
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