Man wanted in connection with string of gropings in Park Ridge arrested in Nebraska

PARK RIDGE, Ill. (WGN) — A man who allegedly groped four young girls in the northwest suburbs has been taken into custody after a months-long manhunt.

According to Park Ridge police, 40-year-old Matthew Cameron, a Niles resident, has been charged with four counts of aggravated battery.

Authorities said the charges stem from Cameron’s alleged role in a string of four separate battery incidents that unfolded in Park Ridge between August 23, 2024, and September 5, 2024.

Officers said during the incidents, Cameron allegedly approached the victims, who were all girls between the ages of 12 and 14, before he grabbed their buttocks and fled the scene.

Back in September, police issued an alert to residents about the incidents and provided photos and a description of the individual believed to be responsible, in hopes of tracking him down.

Thanks to tips from the community and surveillance footage, Park Ridge police were able to identify Cameron as a suspect in the case.

When officers attempted to track down Cameron, however, they learned that he had allegedly fled the state and a nationwide warrant was then issued for his arrest.

Cameron evaded capture until April 11, 2025m when members of the United States Marshall Metro Fugitive Task Force and Nebraska State Patrol located his car at a rest area on Interstate 80 in Nebraska.

Following his arrest, Cameron waived extradition and was taken back to Park Ridge where he was formally charged.