A former Clackamas County Commissioner who is a Democrat may have fled the country with her child after being accused of stealing $30,000.
Former commissioner Melissa Fireside allegedly committed theft and forgery in March while stealing the money from her mother’s boyfriend who resides in an Oregon assisted living facility, KPTV reported Friday.
“According to court documents, Fireside allegedly accessed the victim’s account during a visit to the facility, calling his bank and coaching him to reset his online banking information,” the outlet said, adding, “Documents also say that Fireside allegedly used the victim’s account to withdraw $29,000 to repay a loan to state representative April Dobson and withdrew another thousand dollars into her own account.”
She was charged with several felonies in the case as a result, per KGW News:
Journalist Andy Ngô reported Saturday that Fireside is a “woke Portland-area BLM activist” who resigned from her position as commissioner once she was charged with the felonies.
“Melissa Fireside crossed into Mexico with her child and then got on a flight to Amsterdam. She had been allowed to bail out without an ankle monitor. The child’s father contacted authorities about the missing boy. They had no clue. Fireside is a Democrat who was championed by liberals for being a woke woman. She won against an incumbent conservative,” he stated:
On Friday, the Oregon Department of Justice (ODOJ) filed a motion to revoke Fireside’s release in light of the belief she fled the country:
State investigators are actively working to determine Fireside’s whereabouts. Once located, every effort will be made to bring her into custody. If Fireside is confirmed to be outside the United States, the extradition process may present additional challenges depending on the country involved. Oregon investigators are already coordinating with federal partners to assist in this effort.
Fireside was arraigned in March 2025 on multiple felony charges, including Aggravated Theft in the First Degree, Theft in the First Degree, Computer Crime, and Forgery in the First Degree. She was released under a conditional release agreement requiring her to remain in Oregon unless granted court permission to leave. Her jury trial was scheduled to begin on December 2, 2025.
Officials said it was believed she took her nine-year-old son with her and “While the child is not believed to be in danger, ensuring his safety remains the State’s highest priority.”
TSA informed the ODOJ on Thursday that Fireside had a reservation to fly from Mexico to Amsterdam on Tuesday and used an Austrian passport. Authorities said she may have used a fake ID to cross the border into Mexico.
