Authorities have charged a 31-year-old photo studio employee with sexual assault for allegedly fondling two 10-year-old students during a photo shoot last month at a Pearl City school.

Prosecutors yesterday charged Gerard Fernandez Mueden of Salt Lake with two counts of third-degree sexual assault, saying Mueden improperly touched a boy and a girl at Lehua Elementary School on Sept. 22.

Mueden turned himself in to police on Sunday and remains in police custody.

Bail has been set at $20,000. Mueden's initial court appearance is scheduled for today at Honolulu District Court.

According to prosecutors, Mueden works for House of Photography Inc. and was at the Lehua Elementary School campus to take photos of students last month.

According to its Web site, House of Photography specializes in taking yearbook photos, student identification shots and prom and banquet photos.

Fay Toyama, principal of Lehua Elementary School, could not be reached by The Advertiser yesterday. She told KHON-TV that faculty members were present during the photo shoot and that nothing unusual was seen. Letters regarding the alleged incident were sent home to parents, Toyama said.

Third-degree sexual assault is a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison.