MONTEZUMA – A Montezuma man was arrested yesterday after an investigation into online solicitation of a minor.

The Newton Police Department says that the investigation began on July 23, 2026, after they identified 57-year-old Curtis Sean Gauley as a suspect in an online child predator case. During the investigation, a Newton Police Department officer communicated with Gauley online while posing as a 15-year-old child. Gauley allegedly solicited the child to engage in sex acts during the conversation.

A search and seizure warrant was executed at Gauley’s residence on Wednesday, August 19, with help from the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office and the Mid Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force. Officers took Gauley into custody without incident and booked him into the Jasper County Jail.

Gauley now faces charges of Grooming and Enticement of a Minor Under 16 for a Sexual Purpose, both of which are Class D felonies.