The 40-year-old owner and operator of an Orange County dance studio was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting girls at the studio, police said Wednesday.
Mark Chavarria was being held on $5 million bond at the Orange County Central Jail. He was arrested Tuesday. An initial court date was scheduled for Thursday, jail records indicated.
Allegations came to light after several girls between the ages of 12 and 14 reported multiple sexual assaults at the Chavarria Institute of the Arts dance studio in Anaheim Hills. It was not immediately clear whether the alleged assaulted occurred.
Chavarria has taught at dance studios across Southern California and Arizona, police said.
Get Southern California news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC LA newsletters.
The girls who accused the instructor are both current and former students at the studio, police said. Detectives said there may be victims who have not come forward.
It was not immediately clear whether Chavarria has an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
Anyone with further information regarding the was urged to call Anaheim Police at 714-765-1969. Callers who choose to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS.
