John Bartos
PITTSBURGH — A Boardman home improvement contractor has been transferred from Ohio to Pennsylvania, where he is being held without bond on a felony theft charge.
John Paul Bartos III, 43, was booked into the Allegheny County Jail on Wednesday morning, according to jail custody records. His transfer follows his arrest last week in Boardman on an out-of-state warrant.
Bartos faces one count of third-degree felony theft by deception in Pennsylvania. The charge stems from an alleged April 27 incident in Marshall Township investigated by the Northern Regional Police Department.
According to a criminal complaint, a homeowner paid Bartos a $2,500 deposit for home repairs. A work crew arrived three days later but left without completing the project. Police said the crew promised a refund, but Bartos repeatedly failed to return the money. Investigators filed charges after Bartos missed a deadline to repay the family.
Boardman police located and arrested Bartos on May 13 after a license plate reader flagged his vehicle near the Southern Park Mall. He was held in the Mahoning County Jail as a fugitive from justice until his release to Pennsylvania authorities on Tuesday.
Court records show Bartos is now being held without bond in Pittsburgh.
Bartos has a documented history of similar accusations in Ohio. He was previously convicted of stealing from clients in Mahoning, Trumbull, and Columbiana counties. Prosecutors previously noted his criminal history spans 16 pages.
In 2023, Bartos pleaded guilty to 10 felony theft counts in Trumbull County, resulting in a 120-day jail sentence and $27,000 in restitution. His attorney at the time attributed the actions to a gambling problem.
In April 2024, Bartos pleaded guilty to 11 counts of theft and six counts of theft from protected classes in Mahoning County. He received four years of probation and was ordered to pay back more than $134,000 to his victims.
A preliminary hearing date for the new Pennsylvania charge is set for June 3.
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