Out-of-state man identified as Elmhurst attempted molester

Police have identified an out-of-state man they had sought since Labor Day weekend for the attempted molestation of a child at an Elmhurst wedding reception.

Priyang D. Parikh, 29, of Alexandria, Va., is charged with sexual exploitation of a child and attempted predatory criminal sexual assault of a child.

Parikh approached several children playing in the foyer of an Elmhurst banquet hall Sept. 5 after police said he crashed a wedding reception.

They said Parikh had the children form a line after he offered them lollipops and then lured one of them into another room. Parikh told the 7-year-old girl to close her eyes and, when she opened them, the child said he had pulled down his pants and exposed himself, according to police. The girl screamed, and Parikh fled.

Elmhurst Deputy Chief Dan Buenz said detectives were able to identify Parikh after circulating through the media a photo of him that one of the partygoers snapped. Buenz described Parikh as "a wedding crasher" with no known connection to the folks at the reception or the community.

"That night, we showed his picture to many, many people at the wedding and no one knew him," Buenz said. ""He was an uninvited guest."

Upon learning police were looking for him, Buenz said, Parikh returned from Virginia to Illinois but failed to show up Friday for an agreed meeting. Detectives tracked him down later that day at a Morton Grove hotel.

Prosecutors approved felony charges Saturday. Bond was set at $400,000. Parikh posted the required 10 percent Monday. He is due to be arraigned Oct. 4 before DuPage Circuit Judge Kathryn Creswell in Wheaton.