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Petrone, a retired supermarket employee who lived in assisted care, passed away in August. It was only after his death that his daughter discovered suspicious transactions. Alarmed by the withdrawals, she contacted authorities — leading to a deeper investigation that exposed even more fraud. Officials say Fireside had also attempted to take out an additional $35,000 loan in Petrone’s name but was denied the full amount due to insufficient funds in his account.
Fireside’s downfall has been swift. After winning her seat as a Democrat in Clackamas County last November, she abruptly resigned once the charges came to light. When officers checked her listed address for bail compliance, she was nowhere to be found.
The Oregonian reported that authorities discovered a flight booked under her name from Mexico to Amsterdam — scheduled just a day after she disappeared. This fueled speculation that she was attempting to flee to Europe.
Adding to the mystery, Fireside reportedly holds an Austrian passport valid through 2032, granting her the freedom to travel and reside across the European Union. Oregon Department of Justice spokesman Jerry Gorman told the paper officials “were unsure how she obtained it.”
Prosecutors revealed another eyebrow-raising twist — that $29,000 from the alleged fraud was used to pay back a personal loan Fireside owed to Oregon State Rep. April Dobson, a fellow Democrat.
Dobson told The Oregonian she believed she was simply helping “a struggling single mother” who needed “temporary relief for her personal business.” Authorities have not accused Dobson of wrongdoing, but the revelation raises questions about how deep Fireside’s financial troubles may have gone — and who else may have unknowingly supported her schemes.
Despite her image as a rising local leader, Fireside reportedly lived well above her means. Public records show she owned a $900,000 home in upscale Lake Oswego and operated an LLC linked to high-end real estate. But beneath the polished exterior, investigators say, was a growing web of deception.
Her legal team has gone quiet since her disappearance. When she was first arrested, her attorneys insisted she was “entitled to the presumption of innocence.” But with her apparent escape and mounting evidence, few are convinced of her innocence now.
Authorities believe Fireside and her son are currently hiding in Mexico, possibly preparing to fly to Europe where she could evade extradition under her second passport. Federal agencies are reportedly coordinating with international partners to track her movements.
What began as a local fraud case has now turned into a global manhunt — and another embarrassment for Oregon Democrats, already facing criticism for a growing list of scandals and corruption cases.
As one investigator put it, Fireside’s flight was “a betrayal not just of the law, but of the public trust she swore to uphold.”
This story continues to develop as authorities race to locate the fugitive official before she vanishes for good.
