Eric Kay, the former Angels communications director, has been found guilty in a Fort Worth court for providing fentanyl to pitcher Tyler Skaggs in 2019 and causing his death.
According to a report from USA Today, the charges state that he "knowingly and intentionally" gave Skaggs fentanyl while the team was in Arlington, Texas. The deliberation on the case took less than three hours to deliver the guilty verdict.
When Skaggs died in 2019, the Tarrant County medical examiner determined that the cause of death was a mixture of alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone, which led to asphyxiation on his vomit.
USA Today reported that Kay faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years, and could spend the rest of his life in prison. The Washington Post reported that Kay's defense team will appeal after his sentencing date, which is set for June 28.
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Tyler Skaggs' death
Back on July 1, 2019, Skaggs was found unresponsive in his hotel room in Arlington, Texas, where the Angels were going to play the Rangers.
Skaggs had not answered text messages and calls in the morning from his wife, leading team officials to check his room. Police were called to the scene and found Skaggs unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at the scene, with police saying they did not suspect foul play.
"Tyler has, and always will be, an important part of the Angels family," the team said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Carli and his entire family during this devastating time.
"There are no other details at this time, please keep Tyler’s family in your thoughts and prayers."
At the end of August, the autopsy reported that he had alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone in his system when he died. Skaggs' family said in a statement they believed an Angels employee might have been involved with how Skaggs came to be in possession of the drugs.
The autopsy led to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration opening an investigation into the cause of death in September. Kay reportedly told investigators that he knew of Skaggs' drug use well before his passing and admitted giving him oxycodone pills days before he died, though he said he did not believe those pills caused the death of the pitcher.
In August 2020, Kay was charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl relating to Skaggs' death.
Eric Kay trial
Kay's trial did not begin until Feb. 8 with opening statements. It took only nine days to conclude.
According to the United States Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Texas, Skaggs was found to have several pills, including one that was labeled M/30. The pill was found to have been laced with fentanyl.
During the trial, it came to light that several players received pills from Kay, saying that they had received blue M/30 pills like the one found in Skaggs' hotel room. Those players said Kay was the only source for the pills and that there were transactions inside the stadium. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Beran said that the other players "were one pill away from dying of the drug that Eric Kay gave them," according to The Washington Post.
Text messages shown in court served as strong evidence that Kay had visited Skaggs' room the night of his death and that he came by with pills, per the attorney's office.
Defense attorneys tried to place doubt on it being Kay who gave Skaggs the pills that resulted in his death by finding that Skaggs had received drugs from another in the past, and hat he could have received it from someone else, according to The Post. They also argued that the cause of death might have been alcohol or oxycodone and not fentanyl.
The Associated Press reported that a medical examiner, doctor and government expert all said fentanyl was almost certain to have been what caused Skaggs' death.
According to the attorney's office, Kay was found guilty on two charges: distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Kay, the LA Angels, as well as vice president of communications Tim Mead face wrongful-death lawsuits from Skaggs' family, according to USA Today.
When will Eric Kay be sentenced?
He is set to be sentenced on June 28.
The Washington Post reported that Kay's defense team will appeal after his sentencing.
Responses to the verdict
Angels:
Statement from the Angels: pic.twitter.com/0Bb984ktnv
— T.J. Quinn (@TJQuinnESPN) February 17, 2022
Skaggs family:
...that justice was served, although today is a painful reminder of the worst day in the life of our family.”
— T.J. Quinn (@TJQuinnESPN) February 17, 2022
U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham:
“This case is a sobering reminder: Fentanyl kills. Anyone who deals fentanyl — whether on the streets or out of a world-famous baseball stadium — puts his or her buyers at risk,” Meacham said. “No one is immune from this deadly drug. A beloved pitcher, Tyler Skaggs was struck down in the midst of an ascendant career. The Justice Department is proud to hold his dealer accountable for his family and friends’ unimaginable loss.”
Defense Attorney Michael Molfetta:
“This case was reverse-engineered: ‘Eric Kay is our guy, and we’re going to get him,’ ” Molfetta said.
“We’re obviously disappointed in the verdict. We thought there were many reasons to doubt the government’s case,” Reagan Wynn said. “This is a tragedy all the way around. Eric Kay is getting ready to do minimum 20 years in a federal penitentiary and it goes up from there. And Tyler Skaggs is gone.”
