A former mayor of Biggs, California, has been sentenced to four years and four months in prison for sexually abusing a 17-year-old foreign exchange student he groomed for months. Robert Brian Bassett, 58, pleaded no contest to three felony child-sex-abuse charges.
Prosecutors stated that Bassett betrayed the trust placed in him as the student’s host. The teenager lived in Bassett’s home in Biggs from April to November 2023, thousands of miles from her family. During this time, Bassett, who was also serving as the town's mayor, groomed her and sexually abused her multiple times.
Butte County District Attorney’s Office cited the victim's vulnerability, Bassett's grooming tactics, and his abuse of her trust as aggravating factors. These elements led the judge to impose the maximum sentence. The victim informed the court that she continues to experience suffering from the abuse and the betrayal by someone she trusted.
The case came to light after police arrested Bassett on July 9, 2026, following a search warrant at his residence. Investigators later contacted the victim in her home country, where she disclosed the abuse.
Bassett served on the Biggs City Council and as mayor from 2022 until December 2024. He initially remained on the council after stepping down as mayor but resigned from the City Council in early 2025 amid a separate extortion investigation. Following a criminal investigation into actions taken during his mayoral term, Bassett agreed to a plea deal, which resulted in the dismissal of two additional felony charges.
In addition to his prison sentence, Bassett will be required to register as a sex offender for 10 years following his release.