Ex-Oregon Democrat Fugitive After Fraud Charges Flees With Son To Europe

Melissa Fireside, a former Democratic Clackamas County commissioner from Oregon, has become an international fugitive after fleeing the United States with her nine-year-old son amid fraud charges. She is accused of stealing approximately $30,000 by posing as her mother’s 83-year-old boyfriend, Arthur Petrone, to obtain a bank loan and credit card advance using forged signatures and fabricated emails. After being released on bail with conditions to remain in Oregon, Fireside violated these terms by leaving her residence and crossing into Mexico, then booking a flight to Europe, reportedly to Amsterdam or Austria. Authorities are concerned about the child's safety and are collaborating with federal and international law enforcement to locate Fireside. Notably, Fireside possesses an Austrian passport valid until 2032, enabling her to travel freely within the European Union, though it remains unclear how she obtained it and there is speculation it may be fake. She resigned from office shortly after being charged and was due to stand trial in December, but her flight and disappearance have hindered legal proceedings.