Anaheim dance instructor arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting young students

An Anaheim dance instructor was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting six young girls who were students at the studio he operated, according to the Anaheim Police Department and reports.

Mark Chavarria, 40, was taken into custody Tuesday on 18 counts of sexual misconduct, according to City News Service. The alleged assaults came to light when multiple girls between the ages of 12 and 14 reported them to the police, the department said.

The girls were students at the Chavarria Institute of the Arts.

Mark Chavarria was booked on numerous sexual assault charges and was being held on $5 million bail.

(Anaheim Police Department)

Chavarria was booked on numerous sexual assault charges and was 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.

Chavarria’s dance studio offers classes for students at different levels, according to its website.

“We are committed to providing a comprehensive and dynamic approach to dance with an emphasis in consistency, creativity, and collaboration,” the studio says on its website. “We’re not just a studio, we’re a family!”

A call to the studio Thursday went unanswered.