Former Cal State Bakersfield assistant Kevin Mays accused of working as a pimp in four states
Ex-Cal State Bakersfield assistant Kevin Mays faces several charges, including possession of automatic firearms, posession of methamphetamine with intent to sell and pimping
Former Cal State Bakersfield basketball assistant coach Kevin Mays is in jail awaiting trial amid an investigation that has led to multiple charges, including allegations that he worked as a pimp in four different states, ESPN reports. According to the outlet, the charges stem from a tip sent to then-head coach Rod Barnes in August.
A former Cal State Bakersfield athlete from 2014-16, Mays worked in a temporary coaching role with the university last summer. Bakersfield police told ESPN that Barnes received an anonymous letter from an alleged victim, claiming: "HE (Mays) IS TRAFFICKING A GIRL BY THE NAME OF [redacted] HE HAS BEEN TRAFFICKING THIS GIRL SINCE MAY."
Barnes reportedly forwarded the note to the university's human resources department, which led to multiple charges from university police, including felonies such as pimping, possession of automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines and possession of both methamphetamine and marijuana with intent to sell.
Mays has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and his legal representation declined to comment to ESPN. Sally Selby, the public affairs and communications manager for the Bakersfield Police Department, said the investigation into Mays' alleged off-the-court activities is ongoing, with follow-up interviews planned to determine whether additional charges could be filed.
The school announced athletic director Kyle Conder's termination on Sept. 8, just days after Mays' arrest. Conder has since filed a lawsuit against the school, claiming he was actually fired in August after alerting officials to "potential crimes and misconduct" within the university. Conder's lawsuit alleges that the school timed his termination announcment to make him a "convenient scapegoat" for the Mays situation.
Cal State Bakersfield spokesperson Jennifer Self told ESPN the school "strongly denies the claims" made in the lawsuit and that the school intends to "challenge the legal sufficiency of certain aspects of Conder's complaint."
Barnes stepped down from his post around the same time as Conder's termination, ending a 14-year coaching stint that included an NCAA Tournament and NIT appearance. At the time, Cal State Bakersfield made no mention of why Barnes was leaving the program.
"I want to thank Coach Barnes for guiding our scholar-athletes since 2011 and for emphasizing academic excellence, teamwork, community engagement and the highest level of competition," Cal State Bakersfield president Vernon B. Harper Jr. said in a school press release. "His enthusiasm for our teams and student-athletes created excitement and spirit in the Icardo Center that spread beyond our campus, into the greater community, deepening loyalty to CSUB and nurturing a new generation of Roadrunner fans."
