A former swim coach based out of Houston, Texas has been suspended by USA Swimming for sexual misconduct involving a minor.
Nathan Blake Bernier, 46, was arrested in late 2023 for allegedly sending inappropriate messages and making plans to meet an undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old girl from Odessa.
Bernier, who was 46 at the time of his arrest, was charged with two felony counts of Online Solicitation of a Minor in early January.
In April, he was permanently suspended by USA Swimming for “Criminal Disposition – Sexual Misconduct Criminal Disposition – involving a minor” and is listed as ineligible in the U.S. Center for SafeSport disciplinary database.
USA Swimming confirmed Bernier’s suspension to SwimSwam but did not give any details regarding any teams or clubs he was previously affiliated with. SwimSwam could not find any information about his role in the sport.
Editor’s note: this is not the Nathan Bernier who swam for the University of Minnesota in the early 2000s.
Bernier used his previous coaching experience to lure in the 14-year-old girl, telling her he could teach her how to swim because he had been coaching swimming for more than 20 years.
According to an affidavit obtained by Your Basin, the undercover agent began posing as a 14-year-old girl on an app called AntiLand last year. AntiLand is an anonymous online chatroom.
The undercover agent received a message from a user named “Nate” who was later identified as Bernier. The agent told Bernier she was 14, to which Bernier replied: “Honestly, age doesn’t make a bit of difference to me at all, I actually enjoy chatting with people your age.”
Bernier told the agent he was 46, and the two went on to exchange phone numbers and began texting outside of the app. Investigators said Bernier sent multiple unsolicited photos of his genitals and sent sexually inappropriate messages to who he believed was a 14-year-old girl. On December 7, the agent asked for a photo of Bernier’s face, which matched his driver’s license and social media images to confirm his identity.
The conversation turned to swimming, with Bernier asking the presumed minor if she knew how to swim. After saying he could teach her, due to his previous experience, Bernier also said: “I might teach you some other things at the same time…bathing suits are typically very, very easy access.”
After telling the agent about sexual things he would do if they ever met in person, Bernier said he wanted to meet the teen at a hotel in Odessa, where there was a pool available for lessons. On December 8, Bernier sent another message about trying to find a hotel room in Odessa but never showed up, Your Basin reported.
Investigators requested a warrant for Bernier’s arrest on December 20, and he was taken into custody in Houston December 22. He was later released from custody on a $50,000 bond.
