WINDCREST, Texas – A man faces a state jail felony charge after authorities say he used a camera hidden behind a hole in a bathroom wall to record two nude 7-year-old girls and other guests who had rented his backyard pool, according to an arrest affidavit.
Joe Anthony Gonzales, 61, is charged with possession or promotion of lewd visual material depicting a child, a state jail felony.
A woman told Windcrest police that she rented Gonzales’ pool from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday off Facebook Marketplace and was using an attached outdoor bathroom with her two 7-year-old granddaughters — both of whom were undressed — when one of the girls alerted her that someone was taking photographs through a hole in the wall.
The woman told police she observed a brick-sized hole in the corner of the bathroom, partially concealed behind a corner table, and saw a pair of hands holding a camera with a large round lens before the person pulled back from the opening, the affidavit states.
A 17-year-old female who attended the same gathering also told police she had been changing in the bathroom earlier that day when she looked down and saw a pair of eyes watching her through the same hole, according to the affidavit.
Officers who responded to the scene said Gonzales led them to the garage side of the wall, where they found a piece of plywood propped at an angle over the hole — unsecured and easily movable.
Investigators noted the bathroom wall near the hole had been painted a distinctly darker shade of blue than the surrounding area, and that the corner table’s decorative bars were missing specifically at the section in front of the hole.
Gonzales denied the allegations, according to the affidavit, but gave consent for officers to search his personal phone, on which investigators found more than 300 deleted photographs. Among them, the affidavit states, were videos of a minor at a track meet in which Gonzales zoomed in on the girl as she bent over.
Gonzales also admitted to owning a Canon camera with a large lens, consistent with the description provided by the woman, the affidavit states.
During the interview, Gonzales told Ranger Tamez he was attracted to all women and acknowledged finding teenage girls attractive, but said he would never act on those feelings, according to the affidavit.
Gonzales previously served as volunteer medic with the Windcrest Fire Department
In a statement, Windcrest Fire Department Fire Chief Ivan Hernandez told KSAT on Sunday that Gonzales served as a volunteer medic with the department.
After the department was notified of the charge, Hernandez said it terminated Gonzales’ volunteer status. Gonzales is no longer affiliated with the Windcrest Fire Department or the City of Windcrest, he said.
Hernandez said the alleged incident did not happen while he was on duty or “acting in any capacity on behalf of the Fire Department.”
According to the department’s records, Hernandez said Gonzales had not responded to an emergency call with them since October 2025.
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