SANTA BARBARA – 65 year old Jeffrey Parish entered a not guilty plea in Santa Barbara court Wednesday morning to charges of child molestation nearly 20 years ago.
Parish had been on the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department "Most Wanted" list since his disappearance in 1994 when he was caught last week.
Parish was accused of molesting a four year old girl in Carpinteria and was about to be put on trial in March 1994 when he vanished.
The FBI says Parish has been living in Guatemala under the assumed name of "Blake".
An FBI agent and a Santa Barbara County Sheriff's detective are credited with finding Parish who apparently knew why he was being arrested.
The Sheriff's Department says Parish may have molested other victims before he vanished in 1994.
The agency is asking members of the public to come forward if they have information on any such crimes.
Parish is due back in Santa Barbara court next week for the setting of a preliminary hearing on the evidence against him.
He remains in Santa Barbara County Jail with no bail.
