Bradenton man, woman arrested on sexual battery and child porn charges, deputies say

Michael Moore Jr., Jason Dill
·4 min read
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The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office arrested two people on charges of sexual battery and child pornography.

Nicholas Bassler Jr., 24, and Sierra Campany, 24, had several photos and videos of themselves performing sexual acts on children, the sheriff’s office said in a news release and press conference Wednesday morning. Investigators said there may be more victims.

“What you’re looking at here is pure evil. I’ve been doing this job for close to 40 years and it takes a lot to bother me. This case absolutely sickens me,” Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells said at the press conference.

“I don’t know how you could do the things that they have done to small children and go to sleep tonight. This, in my opinion, is lower than any scum that I’ve been around in a long, long time,” Wells said.

Bassler and Campany transmitted the sexual abuse materials via Facebook, detectives said.

Sheriff Rick Wells answered reporter’s questions after the arrest of Nicholas Bassler Jr. and Sierra Campany of Bradenton. The couple were arrested on sexual battery and child porn charges, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said.
Sheriff Rick Wells answered reporter’s questions after the arrest of Nicholas Bassler Jr. and Sierra Campany of Bradenton. The couple were arrested on sexual battery and child porn charges, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said.

Facebook flagged these transmissions as possible sexual abuse materials and contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, where the crimes were then traced to Bradenton and directed to the sheriff’s office on June 5.

That led detectives to the 5000 block of 23rd Street West in Bradenton on Sept. 13 where they obtained a search warrant under probable cause, the news release said.

Officers took several electronic items, including a tablet, and found the child porn images and videos on them, with victims ranging in age from 10 months old to 10 years old, the news release said.

Play equipment and a small child’s green crocs were outside the house Wednesday morning, along with a no trespassing sign.

Play equipment and a small pair of green crocs sit outside the home of Nicholas Bassler Jr. and Sierra Campany of Bradenton. The couple were arrested on sexual battery and child porn charges, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said.
Play equipment and a small pair of green crocs sit outside the home of Nicholas Bassler Jr. and Sierra Campany of Bradenton. The couple were arrested on sexual battery and child porn charges, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said.

Detectives said at the press conference that the couple knew the victims and had personal relationships with them and may have babysat a few of the kids, but could not release any further details about their relationship.

Lt. Mark Morie of the Crimes Against Children Unit said that Bassler and Campany were dating and that Bassler had groomed Campany to sexually assault the children. He also said he could not rule out the possibility that Bassler may have done this with previous girlfriends as well.

He also said that Campany tested positive for PCP while nine months pregnant.

Detectives said these crimes may have been happening for six months or more and that they have reason to believe there could be additional victims.

Morie said the suspects and one of the victims traveled to New York and that there may be victims in that state as well. He said they will pass information about the case to law enforcement agencies in New York.

Bassler Jr. and Campany were arrested on Thursday and Friday on capital sexual battery charges. They face additional charges for possession, transmission and production of child porn.

The punishment for a capital sexual battery charge is mandatory life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to Florida statutes.

Detectives say forensics on a cellphone showed video of Campany sexually battering a 3-year-old and a 10-month-old child and a video of Bassler sexually battering the 10-month-old as well. Further investigation found that he also sexually battered a 10-year-old child, Wells said.

A small angel sits at the base of the mailbox of the home where Nicholas Bassler Jr. and Sierra Campany of Bradenton live. The couple were arrested on sexual battery and child porn charges, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said.
A small angel sits at the base of the mailbox of the home where Nicholas Bassler Jr. and Sierra Campany of Bradenton live. The couple were arrested on sexual battery and child porn charges, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said.

Bassler Jr. and Campany confessed to the crimes, according to detectives.

They are in custody, arrest records show.

Detectives said more charges are possible and that Bassler was previously arrested in 2018 for lewd and lascivious crimes

“I’m here today because we believe that we have more victims out there,” Wells said at the press conference.

“I would say to any adult that knows these two dirtbags, who has kids that have been around them, to talk to your children and make sure that they have not been sexually battered or attempted sexual battery on their children,” he said.

Bassler’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Anyone who suspects a child has had contact with Bassler, Jr. or Campany is urged to contact Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Crimes Against Children detectives at (941) 747-3011 Ext. 2522, the news release said.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Sheriff Rick Wells answered reporters questions after the arrest of Nicholas Bassler Jr. and Sierra Campany of Bradenton. The couple were arrested on sexual battery and child porn charges, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said.
Sheriff Rick Wells answered reporters questions after the arrest of Nicholas Bassler Jr. and Sierra Campany of Bradenton. The couple were arrested on sexual battery and child porn charges, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said.