Ex-Clackamas County Commissioner Melissa Fireside Disappears After Skipping Bail On Fraud Charges
A former Clackamas County Commissioner, Melissa Fireside, who faces fraud charges for taking financial advantage of an 83-year-old man, accessing a computer network, and forging signatures, left her Lexington, Oregon, home with her son and may have fled the country after her conditional release that restricted her to Oregon.
Former Clackamas County Commissioner Facong Fraud Charges On The Run
Melissa Fireside, who was elected to Position 4 of the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners in 2024, 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.
After being conditionally released and required to remain in Oregon unless the court grants permission to leave, Fireside’s jury trial was scheduled to begin on December 2.
The Oregon Department of Justice (ODOJ) filed a motion to revoke her conditional release after receiving information indicating that Fireside is no longer residing at her listed address in Lexington, a small rural town in Morrow County, Oregon.
ODOJ indicated earlier this week that Fireside may have fled the country, taking her nine-year-old son with her. While the child is not believed to be in danger, the state’s primary concern is the child’s safety and well-being.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield confirmed that ODOJ is working closely with law enforcement partners, both locally and at the federal level, to locate Fireside and ensure she is held accountable under Oregon law. He said, “No one should be able to evade justice by crossing a border.”
When Fireside is found, ODOJ will make every effort to bring her into custody. ODOJ is already coordinating with its federal partners to assist with extradition proceedings should Fireside be in another country.
If you have information on the whereabouts of Fireside and/or her son, please get in touch with the Oregon Department of Justice Criminal Division at (503) 378-6347.