Mason City man jailed on sexual abuse, grooming charges

MASON CITY — A Mason City man has been jailed on sexual abuse charges.

Criminal complaints filed in Cerro Gordo County District Court accuse 42-year-old Nicholas Rhodes of twice committing a sexual act with a 15-year-old child at his residence in between May of last year and this month.

The complaints also say Rhodes allegedly performed acts in person and through text messages to attempt to seduce, lure, or entice a child to engage in unlawful sexual conduct.

Rhodes has been charged with two counts of third-degree sexual abuse, each a Class C felony punishable by up to ten years in prison, as well as one count of grooming, a Class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Rhodes was booked into the Cerro Gordo County Jail late on Thursday afternoon and was being held without bond pending his appearance before a magistrate judge.