A significant scandal has emerged at California State University Bakersfield involving Kevin Mays, a former player turned assistant coach for the men's basketball team, who has been accused of operating a multi-state sex trafficking ring.
Authorities have charged Mays with 11 criminal and misdemeanor offenses, including felony pimping. His troubles began when the former head coach, Rod Barnes, received an anonymous email in August containing alarming allegations regarding Mays, which claimed he had been trafficking a woman across several states since May and included a chilling message urging immediate action to prevent scrutiny of the entire coaching staff.
Barnes reportedly escalated the issue by forwarding the email to the university's human resources department, which subsequently notified campus police. This prompted a significant investigation that led to Mays' arrest. Investigators uncovered a woman in Sacramento who was allegedly offering sex services, leading to an undercover sting operation.
During this operation, the woman reportedly disclosed to the police that Mays was her boyfriend and that he regularly funded her professional activities through payments for hotels, rental vehicles, and flight tickets. Mays was apprehended shortly thereafter, with police claiming that searches of his vehicle and residence uncovered multiple firearms and a large stash of drugs.
Furthermore, investigators indicated that a search of Mays' mobile device allegedly revealed numerous disturbing images, including child pornography involving very young minors. Mays, having only joined the basketball program in June with a monthly salary of approximately $3,000, has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is currently held without bail.
The arrest has caused considerable turbulence within the university's athletic department, resulting in the resignations of both Barnes and athletic director Kyle Conder shortly after the incident, though the university has not confirmed if their exits are directly related to the ongoing investigation.
University representatives have expressed their deep concern regarding the allegations, stating that a comprehensive review of the athletics programs is underway following the incident. The investigation remains active as detectives continue to interview potential witnesses to assess whether there are more victims or additional charges pending.
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