WACO (February 26, 2010)—John Thomas Bauer, 40, a Waco financial adviser, was arrested Friday and charged with five felonies stemming from sexual and pornographic incidents involving a 9-year-old girl.
Woodway police say Bauer was arrested shortly after 11:30 a.m. Friday.
He was released Friday evening after posting a $1.55 million bond.
Detectives confirm that Bauer is accused of taking photos of the girl, who posed without clothes, and of paying her to dance for him naked.
Police said Bauer is believed to have destroyed an IPhone that contained the photographs.
The McLennan County Jail confirmed Bauer was booked shortly after 1:30 p.m. Friday on first degree felony charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 14, and sexual performance by a child, second degree felony charges of criminal solicitation of a minor and possession of child pornography, and a third degree felony charge of tampering with physical evidence.
Police say the charges stem from alleged incidents that occurred in late December of 2009 in Woodway.
Officers would not confirm whether the victim is a Central Texas resident.
A Woodway man who said he is Bauer’s father confirmed that Bauer has been an employee of Merrill Lynch in Waco for several years, but wouldn’t comment further.
