Double Life Exposed: Former College Basketball Coach Charged with Running Multi-State Sex Trafficking Operation
A former Cal State Bakersfield assistant coach allegedly coached basketball by day while running a prostitution ring across four states by night.
Former Basketball Coach Accused of Leading Secret Life as Pimp Across Four States
What appeared to be a promising coaching career has unraveled into a shocking criminal case. Kevin Mays, a former assistant basketball coach at California State University, Bakersfield, now faces serious felony charges after investigators uncovered an alleged double life that stretched across multiple states.
An Anonymous Email Breaks the Case Open
The investigation began in August when head coach Rod Barnes — who has since departed the program — received an unsettling anonymous email. The message carried an urgent subject line reading "IMPORTANT MESSAGE 911 911" and warned in bold terms: "FIX IT OR THE WHOLE STAFF WILL FALL."
The email identified a woman who Mays had allegedly been trafficking for several months and described his alleged operations spanning Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and California. According to ESPN, the tipster had personal knowledge of both the alleged victim and Barnes through connections made during sex work-related travel.
Barnes wasted no time forwarding the email to university human resources, which then escalated the matter to campus police, setting a formal investigation in motion.
Undercover Sting Operation Leads to Arrest
As investigators dug deeper, they discovered that the alleged victim had posted an online advertisement in Sacramento offering companionship services — ranging from attending events as a plus-one to more intimate arrangements — at rates of $300 per half hour and $500 per hour.
In September, university police executed a sting operation by arranging a meeting with the alleged victim at a hotel room that Mays had reportedly booked. Following the operation, the woman spoke with authorities and described Mays as her "boyfriend," claiming he "routinely" covered her travel and accommodation expenses.
Investigators also uncovered a troubling financial detail: Mays allegedly used a university account to rent a vehicle that was purportedly connected to the trafficking activities.
Charges and Legal Proceedings
Mays now faces a total of 11 criminal charges, a sweeping list that includes:
- Pimping
- Possession of automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines
- Possession of methamphetamine and marijuana with intent to distribute
- Child pornography-related offenses
He has entered a not guilty plea across all charges. His preliminary hearing, initially delayed by nearly five months, is now scheduled for March 13.
Authorities confirmed that none of the alleged victims have any affiliation with Cal State Bakersfield as students or staff members.
A Career That Once Held Promise
Mays had a personal history with Cal State Bakersfield before joining the coaching staff. He played for the university from 2014 to 2016, including an appearance in the 2016 NCAA March Madness tournament. His transition into coaching seemed like a natural progression — until the investigation brought his alleged off-court activities to light.
The case serves as a stark reminder that positions of trust and authority can sometimes conceal troubling realities, and that anonymous tips, however alarming, can prove pivotal in exposing alleged criminal networks.
