Former Mayor Of California Town Arrested In Foreign Exchange Student Sex Abuse Case

CBS Bay Area

July 10, 2026

A former mayor of a Northern California city has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing a minor foreign exchange student who had been assigned to his home, police said.

Robert "Brian" Bassett, 58, was arrested July 9 and booked into the Butte County Jail on multiple felony sexual assault charges, Gridley police said.

Police said the investigation began after the department received information alleging that a juvenile foreign exchange student had been repeatedly sexually abused while under the care of a host family.

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