Man faces charges over photos of underage girls

A 40-year-old Rio Grande City man was arrested over the weekend by authorities on South Padre Island for allegedly taking improper pictures of teen girls at Schlitterbahn Beach Waterpark.

Cameron County Park Rangers were dispatched to the waterpark shortly after 4:30 p.m. Saturday after they received a report that Taurino Olivares of the 5400 block of Wale Street in Rio Grande City was seen taking improper photographs of girls under 14, Chief Juan Mendoza said.

The girls were attending a school-related field trip at the waterpark when Olivares allegedly snapped the pictures.

"Contact was made with the subject, who did admit to taking photographs," Mendoza said in a news release issued Monday afternoon. "The subject was arrested and charged with two counts of improper photography and visual recordings."

Olivares told park rangers he is a preacher in Rio Grande City and that he and his wife had recently separated.

"He said he bought a camera for the purpose of taking pictures of the girls," Mendoza said, adding he could not comment further on the case because it remains under investigation.

The film used by Olivares to take the pictures had not been developed as of Monday afternoon. He was being held Monday afternoon at the Carrizalez Rucker Detention Center in lieu of $30,000 in bonds.

Each count is a state jail felony. If convicted he faces up to two years in jail and a $10,000 fine.