by Jeroslyn JoVonn
March 6, 2026
The university’s men’s basketball program is drawing national attention after a former assistant coach was accused of operating as a pimp across four states.
California State University, Bakersfield’s athletic department has been shaken by reports accusing temporary assistant coach Kevin Mays of allegedly operating as a pimp across four states.
On March 5, reports surfaced about a behind-the-scenes scandal within CSUB’s men’s basketball program that dates back to last August, when the school first learned of the allegations through an anonymous email, ESPN reported. After an internal investigation, Mays was fired from his role as an assistant coach, and a subsequent police probe resulted in 11 felony and misdemeanor charges.
In the email, the tipster identified a woman whom Kevin Mays allegedly trafficked for several months.
“FIX IT OR THE WHOLE STAFF WILL FALL,” the message read in all caps, describing itself as both a “first warning and a final warning.”
Rod Barnes, who was the men’s head basketball coach at the time, reportedly forwarded the anonymous email to the human resources department at CSUB, which then passed it along to campus police, sparking an investigation that ultimately led to criminal charges. Mays, who is being held without bail, now faces 11 felony and misdemeanor charges, including pimping.
Prosecutors also charged him with possession of automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines, as well as possession of methamphetamine and marijuana with intent to sell. Separate counts allege he possessed more than 600 images of child sexual abuse material and distributed obscene material involving a minor.
Mays has pleaded not guilty to all charges. At the time of his dismissal, Mays had only recently joined the CSUB staff. The former three-year CSUB player had been hired in June and was earning about $3,000 a month.
Investigators later located the alleged victim through a sex advertisement posted in Sacramento, California, and conducted a sting operation in September posing as a “date.” The woman reportedly told officers that Mays was her “boyfriend” and said he frequently paid for hotels, rental cars, and flights related to her work. Mays was arrested the following day.
In the fallout from Mays’ alleged scandal, CSUB announced in September that men’s basketball coach Rod Barnes and athletic director Kyle Conder had also left the university, though it remains unclear whether their departures were related. CSUB senior director of strategic communications Jennifer Self, said the school took a “broader look at its athletic program” following Mays’ arrest.
Conder later claimed in a lawsuit that he was actually fired in August, before the tip about Mays surfaced, and argued he was made a “convenient scapegoat” due to the timing of the announcement.
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