TOWANDA, PA. (WENY) -- Wednesday, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro revealed Bradford County District Attorney Chad Salsman is facing 15 charges, including sexual assault.

"The details of these assaults are incredibly disturbing and they're criminal. But we know that they strike even deeper because, Mr. Salsman abused his position of authority as a lawyer and as a public official here in this county," said Shapiro.

Shapiro says these charges are involving five different women, though he adds his office believes there are more victims.

"The victims in this case were relying on him to be their advocate, to represent them at a time when they felt powerless, and instead they ended up being preyed upon," said Shapiro.

Shapiro added, "These are the people that Salsman targeted for his own sick gratification. He would start by asking them for explicit photos or groping them during a meeting or even in court."

The Attorney General adds the investigation reveals the victims were represented by Salsman as a private attorney. The investigation alleges several of these sexual assaults happened in Salsman's private office; Shapiro says at least one incident happened after Salsman was elected District Attorney in 2019, but before he was sworn in. 

“Chad Salsman would regularly use his position and power as an attorney to coerce his victims into performing sexual acts on him. He would bring them into his private office, under the guise of discussing their case, and used his knowledge of his clients’ vulnerabilities to negate their consent and sexually assault them,” said AG Shapiro. “Salsman picked these victims because they didn’t have any other choice because he thought they would be easy to silence, and less likely to be believed if they ever came forward. As Attorney General, I have a responsibility to stand up for people who need a voice in our Commonwealth.”

According to the Attorney General's office, some of the victims were women Salsman was representing in criminal and child custody cases; Salsman would allegedly take "advantage of their vulnerabilities, exploiting them and forcing them into submission and silence". 

"He would force them onto his desk and he would sexually assault them. Then without fail, he would instruct the victims to clean up in his offices private bathroom with the paper towels on the wall before leaving," said Shapiro.

One victim reportedly told the Grand Jury Salsman had represented her boyfriend and another person who had raped her; she said she confided this history to Salsman who said nothing. On the following visit, the victim said Salsman told her to come through a private back entrance at his office and then undress. The victim testified that she complied "out of fear"; after the incident, Salsman allegedly "threatened to ruin her life" if she told anyone. 

“Five women, independent of one another, experienced the same pattern of advances, coercion, and assault at the hands of Mr. Salsman when he was a defense attorney. They had to rely on Salsman to be their advocate, to represent them at a time they felt powerless, and instead, they were preyed upon,” said AG Shapiro.

Shapiro adds the victims corroborated information "known only to other victims". 

Additionally, the Attorney General says staff from Salsman's private law firm testified that he often met with female clients one-on-one, and would keep details of their files secret from his own legal staff. They also said Salsman had a "long-standing policy of having his secretaries play music, run noise machines, or run the air conditioner to drown out the sounds of his meetings with clients". 

"His staff told the grand jury that female clients would regularly leave in tears or in distress. His own staff went on to testify before the grand jury, get this Salsman played music and used air conditioners and noise machines during private meetings with his female clients," said Shapiro.

During the investigation, Salsman allegedly called a former staffer to his office and demanded she report any information she learned during her appearance before the Grand Jury. 

Salsman has been charged with :

Three counts of Sexual Assault
Five counts of Indecent Assault
Five counts of Witness Intimidation
One count of Obstruction of Administration of Law or Other Governmental Function
One count of Promoting Prostitution

AG Shapiro says Salsman is currently in custody of Pennsylvania State Police; Shapiro urges anyone with information, or those who were also victims, to call PSP at 570-836-2141.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.