WARSAW — An area man who formerly worked as a Career Pathway instructor in Elkhart County was arrested this week on sexual misconduct and child seduction charges.

Curtis Jay Dial, 37, of 202 Stonewall Court, #4, Nappanee, is charged with sexual misconduct with a minor, a level 5 felony, and child seduction, a level 5 felony.

He was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail on Wednesday on a $27,500 preliminary bond.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Dial was employed as a Career Pathway instructor at The Crossing School of Business and Entrepreneurship in Elkhart County from July 8, 2024, to Aug. 30, 2024.

On or about Aug. 23, 2024, a detective received a report Dial was having inappropriate contact with several students.

Soon afterward, a child was interviewed. The child said they went to Dial’s residence to spend time with Dial’s child. Dial had them put their bag in his room. The child and Dial were sitting on Dial’s bed and Dial grabbed and kissed the child.

A detective then spoke with an employee at The Crossing who said the child told the employee they had been sexually assaulted by Dial, according to court documents.

The child said they went to Dial’s apartment and the child was put in restraints on his bed.

In December 2024, the detective spoke with the child, who said they met Dial from The Crossing. The child said Dial would say “weird” things at school but they would brush it off. The child said Dial’s comments made them uncomfortable but not so much they couldn’t trust him.

When the child went to see Dial, his child was not home. After Dial grabbed and kissed the child, he started touching the child over the next few hours. The child said they did not feel comfortable and turned to the side to try to prevent Dial from touching them. After several hours, Dial and the child left the house to drop off items.

Dial touched the child’s legs in the car. The child said they didn’t know what to do.
The child then went to a movie with Dial’s child and then went back to Dial’s residence. The child said Dial kept them up until 6 a.m. the next day. The child said Dial tried to get them to drink whiskey, which they eventually did. The child said Dial showed them the restraints at the top of the bed and put them in them. The child also said they believed Dial inappropriately touched them.

In May of 2025, the detective talked with Dial. He picked up the child on a Friday, along with Dial’s child, and they went to a movie and then went back to his residence about 1 a.m. Dial said he had a conversation with the child about them not being able to have a relationship because Dial would get in trouble. Dial admitted to kissing the child.

Dial said he did touch the child, but not under the clothes. He also admitted to putting the child in restraints, but denied that they had sex.