By John Dobberstein, Editor
TULSA – The Tulsa Police Department said it has arrested a suspect after a multi-agency search for a runaway teen-ager last week.
Matthew Puza, 43, was arrested at a local hotel on pending charges of lewd/indecent proposal to a child, obstructing an officer and harboring a runaway juvenile from Broken Arrow.
The Broken Arrow Police Department on July 11 began investigating the case of a 14-year-old child who ran away from home. Officers later enlisted help from TPD’s Sexual Predator Investigations/Digital Evidence Recover (SPIDER) Unit and the FBI, and an endangered/missing persons alert was sent out to mobile devices in the area.
Police received multiple calls about possible sightings of the victim, but she was not located. A week later, the FBI found surveillance video from July 11 showing the victim at a QuikTrip talking to Puza, who worked there as a clerk.
According to police, video showed Puza walk the victim into a vehicle outside, then later meet up with her at a nearby restaurant.
License plate readers helped investigators track down the vehicle registered to Puza outside the Affordable Suites of America near 71st Street and Mingo Road. Puza answered the door at his hotel room and was taken into custody, police said.
The victim was found inside the hotel room and taken to a safe location. SPIDER Unit detectives collected additional evidence from the room and interviewed Puza, who refused to provide any information about himself.
TPD said it’s possible there are additional victims in the case. Anyone with information, or who has had contact with Puza, can contact Tulsa Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS. Reference case 2026-033453.
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