Artist held in Picasso theft returns to O.C.

A Newport Beach artist landed in Orange County Wednesday after being extradited from Dallas, Sheriff’s Department officials said.

Plain-clothes officers escorted Michael Schofield, 60, from the American Airlines flight down to an unmarked vehicle that took him to Orange County jail, authorities said. Schofield declined to comment.

Schofield was arrested in Dallas Feb. 1 after eluding Newport Beach police since the middle of January, police said.

Newport Beach police had issued a $50,000 warrant for him, and an anonymous tip gave Dallas police the information needed to arrest him.

Schofield was wanted for two felony counts of grand theft and one felony count of passing a check with insufficient funds and faces up to four years and four months in prison if convicted, prosecutors said.

Schofield allegedly used a Picasso sketch valued at $200,000 that did not belong to him as collateral for a $40,000 loan, authorities said.

He did not repay the loan and stole the sketch back, police said.

Schofield’s next court appearance is scheduled for Friday, records show.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.