After a teenager at the center reported that he heard Salazar had inappropriately touched another child, Crittenton put Salazar on administrative leave and called police.

The investigation turned up a total of six children with similar complaints, including some who had been released to live with relatives elsewhere in the United States, Capelle said.

"These kids are uniquely vulnerable because in some of their countries of origin there's no trust in authorities to even come forward," she said. "They think if they don't acquiesce, it will somehow screw up their legal case."

Prosecutors say Salazar molested six boys between the ages of 15 and 16 between May 2007 and February 2008. He is charged with four felony counts of lewd acts on a child, three felony counts of oral copulation of a minor and seven misdemeanor counts of sexual battery.

Some of the victims said they didn't report the assault immediately because they feared they could be deported or denied calls to their families if they complained, prosecutors said.