Former Angels employee jailed for 22 years over death of team’s pitcher

A former Los Angeles Angels employee was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison on Tuesday for providing the team’s former pitcher Tyler Skaggs the drugs that led to his overdose death in Texas.

Eric Kay, dressed in an orange jumpsuit with handcuffs and leg shackles, didn’t react when the judge read his sentence. Kay faced at least 20 years in prison on one of the two counts.

There was no reaction from Skaggs’ widow and mother, or members of Kay’s family, including one of his sons who testified on his behalf before sentencing.

Prosecutors presented evidence of Kay, 48, making derogatory comments about Skaggs, his family, prosecutors and jurors in phone calls and emails after he was convicted in February.

There was emotional testimony from both sides in federal court in Fort Worth, about 15 miles from where the Angels were supposed to open a four-game series against the Texas Rangers on 1 July 2019, the day Skaggs was found dead in a suburban Dallas hotel room.

Kay was convicted on one count each of drug distribution resulting in death and drug conspiracy.

A coroner’s report said Skaggs, 27, had choked to death on his vomit and that a toxic mix of alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone was in his system.

The trial included testimony from five major league players who said they received oxycodone pills from Kay at various times from 2017-19, the years Kay was accused of obtaining pills and giving them to players at Angel Stadium. Kay also used drugs himself, according to testimony and court documents.