Costa Rica victim advocate arrested for sexual assault

The prosecutor in charge of the Office of Civil Defense for Victims in Costa Rica was arrested Wednesday on charges of sexual abuse against two subordinate employees, said Attorney General Jorge Chavarría. 

The official, Max Chinchilla, also faces charges of sexual and workplace harassment against three other employees, Chavarría said in a press conference.

The attorney general indicated that the women claim to have been victims of abuse from Chinchilla for several years, but they did not come forward until Tuesday.

The Office of Civil Defense for Victims is in charge of promoting civil actions on behalf of criminal victims of crimes.

The arrested prosecutor was placed in custody at the order of a judge, said the prosecutor in charge of sex crimes and domestic violence, Eugenia Salazar, who will ask for precautionary measures that the prosecutor has no contact with the victims and must sign in with a court every 15 days.