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A former college basketball coach was a sideline by day and allegedly a pimp by night.
Kevin Mays was an assistant coach at Cal State Bakersfield when university police began investigating in August after the team’s then-head coach, Rod Barnes, received an email tip.
The email, which was a “first warning and a final warning,” identified a woman Mays had allegedly been stalking for months.
Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners tackle Kevin Mays during the game between Northern Arizona at Cal State Bakersfield at the Icardo Center in Bakersfield, California. (David Dennis/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“FIX IT OR THE ENTIRE STAFF WILL FALL,” the tipster wrote in the email. Its subject line read “IMPORTANT MESSAGE 911 911.”
Barnes then reported it to human resources, who then forwarded it to university police.
The tipster said Mays had operated in Las Vegas, Oregon, Washington and California. ESPN reported that the tipster knew both the alleged victim and Barnes through sex work trips.
The alleged victim posted an ad in Sacramento saying she was willing to be anything from “arm candy” at a party to an “effortless girlfriend.” She charged $300 for half an hour and $500 for a full 60 minutes. Police ran a sting operation in September by planning a “date” with the alleged victim in a hotel room rented out by Mays.
Kevin Mays of the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners goes up for a dunk in the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Chesapeake Energy Arena on March 18, 2016 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
In an interview with police after the operation, she referred to Mays as her “boyfriend” who “routinely” paid for her travel accommodation.
None of Mays’ alleged victims are students or employees of Cal State Bakersfield, ESPN noted. However, police reports cited by the outlet say Mays purchased a rental car used for alleged human trafficking through a university account.
Mays has now been hit with 11 charges, including pimping, possession of automatic firearms and high capacity magazines, possession of methamphetamine and marijuana with intent to sell and child pornography charges. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 13 after being delayed nearly five months, and he has pleaded not guilty.
Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners tackle Kevin Mays during the game between Northern Arizona at Cal State Bakersfield at the Icardo Center in Bakersfield, California. (David Dennis/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Mays played for the school from 2014 to 2016 and played in the 2016 March Madness tournament.
