BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Kevin Mays, a former assistant men’s basketball coach at Cal State Bakersfield, is facing charges of pimping, pandering, possession of assault weapons, drug possession, and possession of child sexual abuse material. Tuesday, Kern County Deputy District Attorney Christine Antonious worked to establish the foundation of their case against Mays
As previously reported, the investigation started when an anonymous tip about Mays was sent to then-CSUB men’s basketball head coach Rod Barnes. The tip was forwarded from CSUB campus police to the Bakersfield Police Department and the Sacramento Police Department, where investigators made contact with a woman they allege was prostituting for Mays.
Mays was arrested in September 2025. Police allege they found multiple firearms, drugs, and drug paraphernalia after searching both his car and apartment.
According to investigators, Mays met the woman online through a website commonly used by prostitutes and people looking to purchase sex from sex workers.
They allege Mays provided the woman with hotels, rental cars, and condoms to work in the commercial sex trade. In return, Mays allegedly promised to help the woman get into school, and she would send him money she made while prostituting. Investigators also allege Mays helped the woman advertise her commercial sex services online and acted as her protector in the event a meeting with a client went wrong.
When questioned by Mays’ attorney, David Torres, the woman told investigators she had been a sex worker for a number of years under a prior pimp, that she was in Sacramento of her own volition, and that she taught Mays everything he knows about the sex trade.
Torres also asked whether the Bakersfield Police Department was able to locate the source of the anonymous tip. According to one of the investigators, it allegedly came from the woman’s former pimp.
Mays is also charged with possession of child sexual abuse material. According to investigators, 28 videos depicting sex acts performed by children were found in one of Mays’ phones during a digital examination.
Kern County Superior Court Judge J. Eric Bradshaw paused Tuesday’s proceedings late in the day. The hearing is slated to resume on Wednesday at 9:15 a.m.
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