Former Angels Employee Eric Kay Indicted on Charges in Death of Tyler Skaggs

Former Los Angeles Angles employee Eric Kay was indicted Friday by a federal grand jury in Texas on two counts in the death of Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs last year. 

According to Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times, Kay was indicted for allegedly distributing fentanyl to Skaggs, which contributed to the pitcher's death at the age of 27.

The indictment accuses Kay of "knowingly and intentionally" distributing "a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl" that "resulted in the death and serious bodily injury of [Skaggs]." He is also accused of conspiring to possess fentanyl "with intent to distribute," per Fenno.

Kay was arrested on Aug. 7.

Skaggs died on July 1, 2019, in his hotel room in Southlake, Texas, when the Angels were in town for a series against the Texas Rangers.

The Tarrant County medical examiner determined the cause of death as "alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone intoxication with terminal aspiration of gastric contents." Following Skaggs' death, it was found that he had corresponded with Kay via text with Kay agreeing to give him pills.

In an affidavit, it was alleged that Skaggs and Kay had a "history of narcotic transactions."

Per Jeff Fletcher of the San Bernadino Sun, the Drug Enforcement Administration said Kay had been supplying fentanyl since 2017 and that "several individuals" associated with Kay and Skaggs knew Kay had been supplying Skaggs with fentanyl before his death.

Kay worked in the Angels' media relations department for 24 years, while Skaggs played for the Angels from 2014-19 following a trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

If Kay is convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison, according to Fletcher.