An Anaheim dance instructor has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting six young girls who were students at the studio he runs, according to the Anaheim Police Department and reports.
Mark Chavarria, 40, was arrested Tuesday on 18 counts of sexual misconduct, according to City News Service. The ministry said the alleged assaults came to light when many girls between the ages of 12 and 14 reported it to the police.
The girls are students at the Chavarria Academy of Arts.
Mark Chavarria has been indicted on multiple counts of sexual assault and is being held on $5 million bail.
(Anaheim Police Department)
Chavarria has been indicted on multiple counts of sexual assault and is being held on $5 million bail at the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Central Jail. As of Thursday afternoon, he was in jail, according to Orange County court records.
According to its website, Chavarria’s dance studio offers classes for students of different levels.
“We are committed to providing a holistic and dynamic approach to dance with an emphasis on consistency, creativity and collaboration,” the studio says on its website. “We are not just a studio, we are a family!”
A call to the studio on Thursday went unanswered.
