BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — As the preliminary hearing into the case against Kevin Mays came to an end, Kern County Superior Court Judge J. Eric Bradshaw found there was enough evidence for Mays to be held to answer on allegations of pimping, pandering, and possession of child sex abuse material, drugs, and illegal firearms.
During the preliminary hearing that started Tuesday morning and spilled over into Wednesday, Kern County Deputy District Attorney Christine Antonios alleged that Mays played a vital role in a commercial sex operation for a woman he met online, providing her with the tools to allow her to continue to work in the form of transportation and accommodations, while the woman sent him money following the encounters.
As previously reported, during a search of Mays’ car and home after his arrest, investigators allege they found numerous guns, methamphetamine, marijuana, and paraphernalia. After investigators searched Mays’ phones, they also found 28 videos depicting child pornography.
Near the end of the hearing, Judge Bradshaw confirmed that allegations of selling or distributing child pornography and the possession of a weapon without a serial number were being dropped as investigators announced they found no evidence that Mays distributed the videos, and they inevitably found the serial number on the weapon that the charge was based upon.
The allegations regarding child pornography were filed after the initial pimping and pandering allegations, before being consolidated into one case during the preliminary hearing.
Mays' defense attorney, David Torres, asked the court to dismiss the allegations of pimping and pandering for lack of evidence. Torres stated that Mays never threatened or forced the woman to work in commercial sex; he did not benefit financially from her line of work, as she would send him the money she made so she wouldn’t spend it, and it was her chosen line of work that, according to investigators, she did prior to meeting to Mays and still continues to do.
DDA Antonious bucked back against Torres' request for dismissal on the pimping charge, pointing to the evidence that Mays was receiving money from the woman, a text that Mays allegedly sent to someone claiming he was making money from prostitutes.
Antonios also countered Torres' claim that because the woman told investigators she was the main instigator in the prostitution scheme, and it’s been her previous and current line of work.
Antonios pointed to evidence they presented that Mays encouraged the woman to send dates via text message.
Mays will receive a tentative court date after he is re-arraigned on information regarding the allegation on April 7th.
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