Chesterfield dance instructor faces sexual abuse charges involving minor

CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WWBT) - A dance teacher in Chesterfield faces several sexual abuse charges involving a minor, according to court records.

This week, a grand jury indicted Katherine Martyak on the charges stemming from an incident with a child under 18 years old in February 2016.

Martyak was an instructor at Chesterfield Dance Center at the time. Owner Carrie Hughes says that Martyak was immediately removed from the studio when the victim, a minor at the time of the incident, came forward late last year.

“The specific indictments allege the instructor sexually abused the child, and what that means is she’s accused of molesting the child. Having contact, physical contact with her private parts,” NBC Legal Analyst Steve Benjamin said.

Hughes says Martyak had been on the staff since August 2010.

Hughes issued the following statement to NBC12:

“This incident does not represent Chesterfield Dance Center’s core values nor our commitment to providing a safe place for children. At CDC, we are committed to a culture of professionalism, transparency, and integrity, while upholding our dedication to providing excellence in dance training. Moving forward, we will work tirelessly to see that this incident does not define our studio, and that no other child has to suffer at the hands of a trusted adult. The remaining faculty are committed to helping us all get through this to ensure the studio can continue as a safe place.

We take seriously the trust that you have placed in our work to provide a safe, supportive and nurturing learning environment, and are already working with faculty and staff to make sure we live up to that commitment.”

As of Friday, Martyak had not yet been arrested.

This is a developing story.

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