Former California Mayor Robert Brian Bassett Sentenced for Child Sexual Abuse

A former California mayor has been sentenced to four years and four months in prison after admitting to sexually abusing a 17-year-old foreign exchange student who had been staying at his home. Robert Brian Bassett, 58, was sentenced on Wednesday after pleading no contest to three felony child-sex-abuse charges, The New York Times reported.

The teenager had been living with Bassett and his family in Biggs, Northern California, from April to November 2023 while taking part in a foreign exchange programme. Prosecutors said Bassett spent months grooming her before sexually abusing her multiple times.

Prosecutors argued that Bassett’s position as her host and his role as mayor made the abuse a serious breach of trust. They cited the girl’s vulnerability, the grooming and the abuse of the trust placed in him as factors warranting the maximum sentence. The victim told the court that she continues to deal with the consequences of the abuse, including the betrayal by someone she had trusted while living far from her family.

The investigation began after police arrested Bassett on July 9 and searched his Biggs home. Investigators later contacted the victim in her home country, where she disclosed what had happened. Bassett served on the Biggs City Council and was mayor from 2022 to December 2024. He stayed on the council after leaving the mayor's office but resigned in early 2025 amid an earlier extortion investigation. A separate criminal investigation into his conduct while mayor eventually resulted in the plea agreement. Two additional felony charges were dismissed as part of the deal. Bassett will have to register as a sex offender for 10 years after completing his prison sentence.