BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Kevin Mays, the former assistant basketball coach at California State University, Bakersfield, was sentenced to four years in a pimping and child pornography case Thursday morning.
Mays was sentenced to four years plus restitution and court fees. Mays will also have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life as a result of being convicted of possession of child pornography.
"We anticipate that he should be out of state prison within the year, and he's ready to pursue his life and get on with it," said Mays' attorney David Torres.
Mays took a plea deal on July 1 where he pled no contest to pimping, possession of child or youth pornography, and possession of a controlled substance with a firearm. Mays was sentenced on each charge individually, though the sentences will be served concurrently and will take into account his time served in jail during the court proceedings.
Kern County Supervising Deputy District Attorney Christine Antonios told 23ABC after the sentencing that the plea deal was a combination of a variety of factors
"In every case and certainly in this one, we are looking for a balance of, you know, we're looking for justice for the crime, we're looking for public safety, and then we're looking for what really the victim wants in this case, and we were balancing all three of those things," said Antonios. "In this case, we know that the victim did not want this to drag out with a lengthy trial or a lengthy process, and this was really something that weighed heavy on our negotiations."
Mays was arrested in September of 2025 and arraigned on charges of pimping, pandering, possession of assault weapons, and drug possession, according to court records.
Just days later, Mays was also arraigned on charges of possession of child pornography after investigators completed a digital examination of his phone following his arrest.
Investigators were tipped off to Mays’ activities by an anonymous source who sent a letter to the then-CSUB head basketball coach Rod Barnes, who forwarded the tip to authorities.
Mays, a former CSUB Basketball player, was an assistant coach for the CSUB Men's team for six seasons before his arrest. The case drew national media attention for its bizarre charges of pimping by a university coach.
Mays' defense attorney David Torres, told reporters that Mays regrets the publicity he brought on the university.
"Obviously, if there was some negativity placed upon the university and placed upon the sport itself, he's going to accept full responsibility because of that and realizes that what he did was wrong, but realizes that he can only take his life now and do something much better with it," said Torres.
Alongside being sentenced to four years in prison, Mays will also be required to pay court fees and restitution.
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