{"id":206489,"date":"2026-03-06T01:15:38","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T01:15:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/206489\/"},"modified":"2026-03-06T01:15:38","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T01:15:38","slug":"alleged-pimp-coach-rocks-cal-state-bakersfield-basketball-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/206489\/","title":{"rendered":"Alleged pimp coach rocks Cal State Bakersfield basketball program"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kevin Mays served as an assistant coach at Cal State Bakersfield, but the men\u2019s college basketball<\/a> program didn\u2019t realize his other unsavory business.<\/p>\n

Local police allege that the California school\u2019s basketball team was rocked by Mays\u2019 criminal behavior, including the former Cal State Bakersfield player moonlighting as a pimp.<\/p>\n

An ESPN report<\/a> lays out Mays\u2019 alleged involvement as a pimp across four different states while serving as an assistant coach with the Roadrunners. Back in August 2025, the situation came to light when the school received an anonymous tip.<\/p>\n

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Police say a coach on the Cal State Bakersfield men\u2019s basketball program was moonlighting as a pimp across four states.<\/p>\n

Multiple dismissals have occurred at Cal State Bakersfield as an investigation probes who knew what and when. https:\/\/t.co\/kiSGNnMfiI<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 ESPN (@espn) March 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Former head basketball coach Rod Barnes was made aware of Mays\u2019 alleged malfeasance, which includes a rap sheet with 11 criminal and misdemeanor charges. <\/p>\n

\u201cHE IS TRAFFICKING A GIRL BY THE NAME OF [redacted],\u201d an email to Barnes read, according to police records. \u201cHE HAS BEEN TRAFFICKING THIS GIRL SINCE MAY.\u201d<\/p>\n

The month following the initial tip, Barnes and Cal State Bakersfield athletic director Kyle Conder both left their respective roles. Since then, the Roadrunners fell to last place in the Big West conference.<\/p>\n

ESPN reported that Mays only took the job at his alma mater as a part-time assistant for roughly $3,000 monthly. However, the Roadrunners weren\u2019t aware of Mays\u2019 criminal behavior based on an initial background check in 2019. <\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/p>\n

Cal State-Bakersfield basketball player goes for a loose ball during an NCAA Division 1 basketball game.<\/p>\n

Anonymous emails revealed that Mays also identifies himself as an avid gambler. The tips revealed that Mays allegedly operated his pimping out of California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, police set up a critical sting operation in September 2025 to catch Mays\u2019 \u201cgirlfriend\u201d who operated as a sex worker. Her claims revealed that Mays paid for many of her trips but she never claimed that he was her pimp.<\/p>\n

From 2014 to 2016, Mays played for the Roadrunners after joining Cal State Bakersfield from Maryland Eastern Shore. ESPN indicates that Mays had plans of continuing his career by playing pro basketball overseas, but that never came to fruition before getting into coaching. <\/p>\n

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