A former Democratic Oregon county commissioner facing several felony charges may have fled the United States, according to authorities.
Former Clackamas County Commissioner Melissa Fireside in March 2025 allegedly stole $30,000 from her mother’s boyfriend, who is currently living in an assisted living facility, according to KPTV.
Prosecutors said that during one visit to the assisted living facility, Fireside got access to the bank account belonging to her mother’s boyfriend, then called the bank and guided him on resetting his online information.
Fireside then allegedly used the account to take out $29,000, which went to repay a loan given to her by a state representative. Prosecutors also said Fireside withdrew $1,000 which was put into her account.
Authorities began investigating after the man’s daughter reported suspicious activity to his credit union.
In an Oct. 31 news release, the Oregon Department of Justice said Fireside may have fled the country and filed a motion to revoke her conditional release.
The father to Fireside’s 9-year-old son called the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday and said the child was withdrawn from school, adding that his ex-partner “apparently has fled the country,” according to court documents.
The Oregon DOJ said that Fireside possibly used a fake ID to enter Mexico.
On Tuesday, Fireside allegedly made a reservation to fly from Mexico to Amsterdam, according to the Oregon DOJ.
“Our top concern right now is the safety and well-being of this child,” said Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield. “We are working closely with law enforcement partners here and at the federal level to locate Ms. Fireside and ensure she is held accountable under Oregon law. No one should be able to evade justice by crossing a border.”
Fireside was charged with first-degree aggravated theft, first-degree theft, computer crime and first-degree forgery. The Oregon DOJ said her conditional release agreement required her to stay in Oregon unless given permission to leave the state.
Fireside’s trial was scheduled to begin on Dec. 2.
Shannon Kmetic, an attorney for Fireside, declined to comment when reached by Fox News Digital.
