BRADENTON, Fla. — A Manatee County couple was arrested last week for sexually abusing several underage victims, officials said on Wednesday.
The Manatee County Sheriff's Office said their Internet Crimes Against Children Unit got multiple cyber tips in June from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding the media, which were transmitted over Facebook between Nicholas Bassler Jr., 24, and Sierra Campany, 24.
After the images were verified as child exploitation material, detectives determined the transmission came from an address in the 5000 block of 23rd Street West in Bradenton.
On Sept. 13, the Sheriff's Office made contact with Campany and Bassler, Jr. They said a warrant was served, and several electronics were seized, including the tablet listed in the cyber tip. The Sheriff's Office said forensics on their devices found numerous exploitation images and videos showing the couple engaging in the abuse.
“In my experience in this case, it was a form of grooming. Nick Bassler was grooming Sierra Campany through their relationship to push the sexual assaults with children further," said Lt. Mark Morie.
Detectives said they know of three victims ranging in age from 6 months to 10 years old and that Bassler, Jr., and Campany confessed to the crimes.
“The suspects all had a personal relationship, knew the victims of these crimes," said Sheriff Rick Wells.
On Sept. 14, Campany was arrested for capital sexual battery, and Bassler, Jr. was arrested on the same charge the following day. They both face additional charges for possession, transmission, and production of child pornography.
“What you’re looking at here is pure evil," said Sheriff Wells. "I’ve been doing this job for close to 40 years, and it takes a lot to bother me. This case absolutely sickens me. I don’t know how you could do the things that they have done to small children.”
Dotti Groover-Skipper is the founder of HeartDance Foundation. The organization started about 17 years ago and helps victims and survivors of human trafficking.
Groover-Skipper encourages parents to pay attention to their child's electronic devices.
"Those privacy settings need to be set on the highest privacy setting that can possibly be to help protect our kids," she said. "Teach your child for them not to let anyone touch them where your bathing suit covers."
She encourages parents to visit bodysafetybox.com. She encourages parents to teach their children the skills they need to report child abuse.
The Sheriff said the suspects traveled to New York and that they'll be reaching out to law enforcement there too.
Detectives believe there could be more victims, and anyone who suspects a child had contact with Bassler, Jr. or Campany should contact Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Crimes Against Children detectives at (941) 747-3011 Ext. 2522.
ABC Action News Mugshot Policy
When a mugshot is used
If the person is still on the loose and a potential threat to the community; if there is a good chance that showing the suspect would help identify additional victims or otherwise protect the public from a serious threat or if the crime or the suspect is of such a significant note that seeing them in a mugshot is in the greater public interest.
Using previous mugshots
Only if the story is specifically talking about that previous crime
We do not show mugshots of victims
This policy started in early 2021
