TULSA, Okla. — A 48-year-old man accused of running away with a teenage girl from Tulsa has been arrested in Tulsa after he was convicted and found guilty of similar crimes in California.

Bartley walked out of a California courtroom on August 17 after being convicted of having sex with a minor and another sex crime.

That minor was the teenage girl from Tulsa.

A former of Christopher Bartley, Peter Harper, said he was surprised Bartley was released in California after being convicted while still having warrants in Tulsa County.

Harper saw posts from Bartley on Facebook and offered him a place to stay.

“Wanted to know if I would help him when he came back to Tulsa and pick him up at the bus station, but our District Attorney said he shouldn’t have been let loose,” Harper said.

Harper said he told Bartley to meet him at a bus stop, but instead Harper called police to welcome Bartley home.

“He needs to face the music and get this over with and behind him so he can have a life,” Harper said.

Bartley got off the bus on late Saturday and went to Harper, who was parked away from the bus stop.

But when Bartley got to the car, the door was locked.

“It hurt in a little way...he used to be my friend, but this is for his own best interest to get this over with and done,” Harper said.

District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said they are happy for Harper’s helping in getting Bartley back in custody.

“We are back to where we were, square one, which is just get him set up for his court process,” said Kunzweiler.

Kunzweiler said they can now focus on prosecuting Bartley for the crimes he is accused of in Tulsa County, like harboring a teenager and impersonating law enforcement, which is a felony charge.

“It is our obligation to make sure the court knows that ‘hey we are not sure if you knew this’ but between the time that this happened, he was supposed to be in court, failed to appear in court. We had other facts and circumstances that arose out in California and the court needs to know that in assessing what bond, if any, is appropriate,” Kunzweiler said.

Court records show Bartley is being held on his original warrants and a more than $30,000 bond until his next court date.

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