A major scandal has erupted at California State University Bakersfield after a former player-turned-coach with the school’s men’s basketball team was accused of running a multi-state pimping operation.
Authorities say Kevin Mays, who previously played for the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners before later joining the staff as a temporary assistant coach, now faces 11 criminal and misdemeanor charges including felony pimping.
According to reports, then-head coach Rod Barnes received an anonymous email in August with the subject line “IMPORTANT MESSAGE 911 911.” The message alleged that Mays had been “traff!cking a girl since May” across multiple states and warned, “FIX IT OR THE WHOLE STAFF WILL FALL.”
Barnes reportedly forwarded the message to the university’s human resources department, which then passed it on to campus police, triggering a wider investigation that eventually led to Mays’ arrest. Investigators said they later identified a woman advertising s3x services in Sacramento and arranged an undercover sting operation posing as a client.
During the operation, the woman allegedly told police that Mays was her boyfriend and that he frequently paid for hotel rooms, rental cars and flights connected to her work. Police say Mays was arrested shortly afterward. Authorities claim searches of his car and apartment uncovered several firearms and a large quantity of drugs.
Investigators also reported that a search of his phone allegedly revealed hundreds of images of ch!ld p0rn0graphy, including photos involving very young children. Mays, who had only been hired by the basketball program in June on a salary of about $3,000 per month, has pleaded not guilty to all charges and remains in custody without bail.
The case has sent shockwaves through the university’s athletics department. Shortly after the arrest, both Barnes and the school’s athletic director, Kyle Conder, left their positions, although the university has not confirmed whether their departures were directly linked to the investigation.
University officials described the allegations as “deeply concerning” and said the institution has launched a broader review of its athletics programmes following the incident. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing as detectives continue interviewing potential witnesses to determine whether additional victims or charges may emerge.
