Bellaire Police arrested a 19-year-old Monday after U.S. Marine officials accused the teen of being a military deserter. Police found Noah Owens at a friend's house and took him into custody without incident.

"I told him plenty of times to go back, every day I told him," said Jon Fekete. Fekete is a long-time friend of Owens. "I think he was about to turn himself in soon, but he was nervous about everything - getting in trouble."

Fekete says Owens took a five-day excused leave from his base at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, for personal reasons. He says Owens decided he'd rather say in Bellaire.

Police say Owens isn't the only one. Bellaire Police Chief Bob Wallace says they arrest a handful of deserters every year. "Because we are at war it takes an added significance when somebody leaves their unit, and often young men make poor decisions," Wallace said.

Friends say Owens just got back from Haiti and was set to head to Iraq in January.

"He wasn't afraid to go to war," Fekete said. "He got real homesick and he doesn't like the Marines at all, and he doesn't like what is going on in Iraq."

According to Marine officials, depending on the circumstances surrounding the case, Ownes could go to jail. Police say his unit has been notified of his arrest and arrangements are being made to take Owens back to North Carolina.