Former Cal Bakersfield coach gets prison for pimping, child porn convictions

Kevin Mays, a former assistant basketball coach at Cal State Bakersfield, was sentenced to four years in prison this week. The sentencing follows a plea deal Mays accepted earlier in July, where he pleaded no contest to multiple felony charges, including pimping, possession of child pornography, and drug possession while armed.

The 33-year-old was initially arrested in September after an investigation into his activities. The case began with an anonymous tip sent to the Cal State head coach, which alleged that Mays was trafficking a woman across state lines. Police investigations later confirmed that Mays was involved in an operation spanning California, Oregon, and Nevada, which was uncovered during a sting operation in a Sacramento hotel room.

Evidence presented in court in March included findings from a forensic examination of Mays’s mobile phone. Investigators recovered 28 videos featuring sexual conduct with a minor, with time stamps dating from 2022 to 2024. During his arrest, police also discovered drugs and weapons within his vehicle and residence.

Judge Tiffany Organ-Bowles presided over the sentencing. Mays received credit for 660 days, covering both time already served in custody and a reduction for good behavior. The court also ordered him to pay restitution to a victim and mandated that he register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.

While representatives for the university provided no public comment on the proceedings, counsel for Mays stated that his client entered the plea to move forward with his life. He noted that Mays remains distressed over the impact his actions had on the basketball program at Cal State Bakersfield.