A convicted sex offender and former Valencia lawyer appeared in court in Burbank on Monday after being extradited from Mexico last week, according to officials from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Arthur Crabtree, 54, was on the run from law enforcement for nearly four years after pleading not guilty on Jan. 17, 2012 to one felony count of child molesting with a prior. He later failed to appear to a hearing in April 2012, and an arrest warrant was issued.

Charges were filed against Crabtree in August 2011 alleging that he was communicating online with a number of young girls “with lewd purposes,” officials said.

At the time of the incident(s), Crabtree was on parole for a 2006 conviction on 10 counts, including felony attempted lewd act upon a child and felony attempt to send harmful matter, according to prosecutors.

Related: Former Valencia Lawyer Wanted By FBI For Child Molestation, Fleeing Prosecution

Crabtree was arrested by the FBI’s Fugitive Task Force in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico on April 21 and returned to the United States. He is currently being held without bail.

If convicted, Crabtree faces a possible maximum sentence of seven years in state prison, officials said.

Crabtree’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 12 at the Los Angeles County Superior Court in Burbank, when the date of a preliminary hearing is expected to be set.

The case remains under investigation by the Glendale Police Department, where Crabtree worked as an officer before his retirement.