Woke ex-Oregon county commissioner flees country with son ahead of trial after bailing out on theft charges

Former Clackamas County Commissioner in Oregon Melissa Fireside has reportedly fled the country ahead of her theft trial, where she has been charged for allegedly stealing from a resident at an assisted living facility. According to court filings, she used false identification and an Austrian passport, taking her young son with her.

On Friday, the Oregon Department of Justice said it had moved to reverse Fireside's conditional release after she was no longer at the home address she stated to the court, which had been in Lexington in Morrow County. Fireside is facing charges of aggravated first-degree theft, using a computer to commit theft, first-degree theft, identity theft, as well as first-degree forgery.

“Our top concern right now is the safety and well-being of this child,” Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said. “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.”

"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," the press release from the attorney's office said.

According to the Oregonian, officials discovered that Fireside had a reservation to fly from Mexico to Amsterdam at 2:30 pm on Thursday. "She has an Austrian passport that she used for the reservation that is valid until 2032,” an affidavit said, signed by special agent with the DOJ, Jerry Gorman. Officials believe she used false identification to flee the country.

Fireside resigned earlier this year after she was indicted on the charges relating to the theft. She was accused of stealing over $10,000 from an 83-year-old man by forging his signature as well as the signature of an Oregon state lawmaker. She has also been accused of forging around $60,000 in promissory notes.