CHICORA — A 64-year-old Cherry Township man accused of hiding a runway boy from authorities waived his preliminary hearing Tuesday.

The felony charge of interference with the custody of a child against Joseph A. Betz is now headed for Butler County Court, after he gave up his right to a hearing before District Judge Lewis Stoughton in Chicora.

State police earlier this month charged Betz with harboring the then 16-year-old boy, who reportedly ran away from his Washington County home in June.

Troopers eventually found the teenager June 7 hiding in a bedroom closet at the defendant’s house on Findlay Road, police said.

The boy was turned over to Mercer County Children and Youth Services and placed at the Keystone Charter School in West Salem Township.

But he soon ran away from there, too. Investigators believe at some point he reunited with Betz. Earlier in the fall, they traveled to Florida with two other men.

Police on Dec. 2 arrested Betz in Lawrence County. Authorities found the boy with the other men at a Florida hotel.

Trooper Max DeLuca said the investigation continues and he hopes to soon interview the boy. More charges could be filed in the case.

Betz’s attorney, Leland Clark, on Tuesday declined to comment. He said he is considering filing a motion in court to reduce his client’s bail, which is $250,000. Betz is being held in the Butler County Prison.

Police, meanwhile, on Tuesday filed unrelated charges against Betz in connection with a September burglary investigation in Center Township.

Some of the items including two shotguns and a 40-inch television stolen in the break-in turned up Dec. 9 when police searched the defendant’s home with a warrant.

Betz is charged with felony and misdemeanor counts of receiving stolen property in that case. He was arraigned on those charges Tuesday and immediately waived them to court.