Eight Local Suspects Arrested For 71 Felony Counts Of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse By Joint Child Exploitation Task Force (Photo) - 08/06/26

JCSO Case 26-3876

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – The Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) along with the Oregon Department of Justice (ODOJ) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force arrested eight suspects on August 5th, on a total of 71 encouraging child sexual abuse felony charges. The cases are not connected. The arrest sweep required investigative efforts throughout Jackson County including Ashland, Medford, Talent, White City, and Central Point.  

The first arrest was around 6:30 AM when Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies pulled over a suspect near his residence in the 1500 block of Clear Springs Drive in Medford. SOCET arrested Eric Richard Rand, 58, of Medford, on three felony counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse, and 11 counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse.

The task force then located a suspect at 6:40 AM at his residence on Taylor Avenue in Talent. The task force arrested Charles Harvey McMillan, 33, of Talent, for 10 felony counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse.

Just before 8:00 AM, a Medford Police Department (MPD) officer located the next suspect sleeping in his car at Holmes Park in Medford. The suspect, Jermaine “JJ” Owens, 53, of Medford, was arrested on charges of first-degree online sexual corruption of a child, second-degree online sexual corruption of a child, second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse, and luring a minor.

Around 8:04 AM, the task force located and arrested Joel Vincente Leal, 21, at his apartment in the 1000 block of Spring Street in Medford. Leal is charged with eight felony counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse and two counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse.

The next arrest was minutes later when SOCET investigators located Robert Paul Phillips, 74, at his residence in the 300 block of West Gregory Road in rural Central Point. Phillips is charged with 10 felony counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse.

At 8:20 AM, the task force located and arrested another suspect at an apartment complex in the 600 block of Northwood Drive in Medford. The suspect, Nathan Chet Wilson, 25, of Medford, is charged with 10 felony counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. During the arrest, his father Tracy Lynn Wilson, 58, attempted to intervene and was charged with interfering with a peace officer.  

The final arrest for the sweep came when investigators contacted Cannon Garrett Green, 31, of White City, at a business in the 200 block of Holly Street in Medford. Green is charged with nine felony counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse.

One suspect was arrested out of state by Island County Sheriff’s Office in Washington. The suspect, Jeremy Paul Maeder, 32, of Talent, will be extradited back to Oregon to face seven charges of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse.

Generally, the investigations began when SOCET received tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which led to subpoenas, followed by search warrants of the respective residences. Investigators seized digital devices during the searches and applied for additional warrants to examine the devices. Once the additional search warrants were signed, the Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force (SOHTCTF) forensically examined the devices for further evidence of child exploitation. At that point SOCET took each case through a Grand Jury hearing and the courts issued warrants for each arrest.

Many local and federal law enforcement agencies assisted SOCET with today’s arrests. These agencies included JCSO, ODOJ, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force, Oregon State Police, MPD, Ashland Police Department, Central Point Police Department, Eagle Point Police Department, Talent Police Department, and SOHTCTF.

SOCET is a joint inter-agency task force that started in June of 2020 to combat child exploitation. The task force consists of investigators from JCSO, MPD, ODOJ ICAC, and HSI, as well as prosecutors from our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in Jackson and Josephine County. SOHTCTF is a joint inter-agency task force that consists of investigators from JCSO, HSI, and MPD.

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Juvenile Caught Lighting Grass Fire In White City; Fire Extinguished, Juvenile Detained (Photo) - 08/05/26

JCSO Case 26-4017

WHITE CITY, Ore. —Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies responded to a reported grass fire last night in the 8000 block of Highway 62 in White City. Jackson County Fire District 3 and Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) firefighters quickly extinguished the fire before it got out of control and deputies detained a juvenile suspect on scene.

Tuesday, August 4 at 7:22 PM, alert motorists on Highway 62 spotted flames and immediately called ECSO Dispatch 911. Witnesses saw an individual standing near the field watching the fire grow. Upon arrival, deputies located a burned section of grass measuring approximately 40 x 40 feet and contacted a juvenile male standing near the scene.

During the initial contact, the juvenile admitted to starting the fire, and deputies recovered matches from his possession. Deputies also received information the youth was involved in a similar brush fire incident the previous day. He was immediately taken into custody without incident. Due to the suspect’s age, his identity will not be released.  

Thanks to the rapid response by FD3 and ODF personnel, the blaze was quickly contained before it could spread to adjacent commercial buildings or nearby residential neighborhoods.

The investigation remains ongoing, and the case is being referred to the Jackson County Juvenile Department for appropriate criminal charges, including arson.

Road Closure Old Stage Road Near Westover Boulevard. (Photo) - 08/01/26

This News Release is edited due to road block moving.
 

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies and the Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction (STAR) Team are investigating a fatal motor vehicle crash on Old Stage Road near Westover Boulevard. 

Old Stage Road is closed at Hillside Drive to Sylvia Road while the STAR Team investigates the cause of the crash.

The STAR Team consists of investigators from Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Medford Police Department. There is no further information available for release at this time.

Child Sexual Abuse Material On Mobile Device Leads To Arrest By Medford Police Teamed With Local Child Exploitation Task Force (Photo) - 07/29/26

MPD Case 26-7566

MEDFORD, Ore. – A report of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) on a mobile device has led to the arrest of a 29-year-old Medford Man. A Jackson County Grand Jury returned an indictment Tuesday, July 28 on all charges. The Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) and Medford Police Department (MPD) arrested the suspect Thursday, July 23 at a residence in the 800 block of Bennett Avenue in Medford.

The suspect, Jonathan Daniel Marquez, 29, of Medford, is charged with two counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse, and 10 counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. He is lodged in the Jackson County Jail.

SOCET began their investigation after MPD received a report of CSAM on a mobile device which was seized by consent at the residence. The Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force (SOHTCTF) assisted in the investigation. The seized digital device which was forensically examined by SOHTCTF for further evidence of child exploitation. During their examination, SOHTCTF located additional CSAM images. 

SOCET is a joint inter-agency task force that started in June of 2020 to combat child exploitation. The task force consists of investigators from Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO), MPD, Oregon Department of Justice’s (ODOJ) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), as well as prosecutors from our local, state and federal law enforcement partners in Jackson County. SOHTCTF is a joint inter-agency task force that consists of investigators from JCSO, HSI, and MPD. There is no further information available for release.

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Investigators Serve Ashland Search Warrant After Unidentified Suspect Sent Thousands Of Child Sexual Abuse Material Images To Undercover Agent (Photo) - 07/23/26

ODOJ Case CJD0550-26

ASHLAND, Ore. – The Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) along with the Oregon Department of Justice’s (ODOJ) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and Ashland Police Department (APD) served a search warrant Wednesday morning in Ashland. The task force served the search warrant after SOCET investigators received over 2000 images of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) images directly from an unidentified suspect.

On scene, investigators interviewed potential witnesses and involved parties. SOCET investigators are working to identify the suspect. Once identified, investigators will refer criminal charges to the Jackson County District Attorney's Office.

SOCET served the search warrant Wednesday, July 22 at an apartment in the 400 block of Russell Street in Ashland. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Medford Police Department (MPD), APD, Central Point Police Department, Talent Police Department, ODOJ ICAC, and the Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force (SOHTCTF) assisted with the warrant service. During the warrant, investigators seized digital devices which will be forensically examined by SOHTCTF for further evidence of child exploitation.

SOCET is a joint inter-agency task force that started in June of 2020 to combat child exploitation. The task force consists of investigators from JCSO, MPD, ODOJ ICAC, and HSI, as well as prosecutors from our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in Jackson County. SOHTCTF is a joint inter-agency task force that consists of investigators from JCSO, HSI, and MPD.

Investigators continue to examine seized devices and interview witnesses as the investigation moves forward. No further details will be released at this time.

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Detectives Investigating Rural Central Point Homicide; Suspect In Custody (Photo) - 07/16/26

Detectives Investigating Rural Central Point Homicide; Suspect in Custody

JCSO Case 26-3616

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. - Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) detectives are investigating a homicide that occurred in a rural Central Point residence. The suspect is in custody.

On Wednesday, July 15, at 4:05 AM, Emergency Communications of Southern Oregon (ECSO) dispatchers received a call of gunshots heard near the 6000 block of Kershaw Road. JCSO deputies responded and found a man deceased from an apparent gunshot wound inside the residence.

Next-of-kin has been notified. The victim is Juan Carlos Ramirez-Arango, 62, of Central Point. JCSO sends our deepest sympathies to Ranirez-Arango’s family and all those affected during this time. 

Evidence collected during the investigation led to the arrest of Pamela Sue Maya, 67, of Central Point. She was in a relationship with the victim. Maya has been charged with second-degree murder and is being held in the Jackson County Jail. 

Ashland Police Department and Jackson County District Attorney's Office responded to assist. The Oregon State Police Forensics Lab processed the crime scene. There is no further information available for release at this time.

Task Force Busts Rural Black-Market Marijuana Grow Outside Applegate Area (Photo) - 07/09/26

Video available for download: https://vimeo.com/1208577865?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

JCSO Case 26-3293

JACKSONVILLE, Ore. - Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) detectives served a search warrant Thursday, July 9 at a black-market cannabis grow in the 100 block of Hogan Road near rural Applegate outside of Jacksonville. IMET detectives seized approximately 1,300 marijuana plants, 1/2 lb. of psilocybin mushrooms, and 3 ½ lbs. of THC extract.

There was no licensing for any type of cannabis growing, handling, or processing at this location. IMET was assisted by Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Oregon State Police (OSP). Oregon Water Resources Department and Jackson County Code Enforcement responded to the scene to conduct investigations.

While regulatory agencies investigate permitted cannabis operations, IMET is focusing on the black-market marijuana trade in the Rogue Valley. IMET is a multi-agency task force funded by a grant from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission. The task force includes personnel from JCSO, OSP, and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.