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| - Former Los Angeles Angels public relations director Eric Kay has been indicted by a grand jury in Texas in the 2019 overdose death of Major League Baseball pitcher Tyler Skaggs. Documents filed in US District Court in Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday show the grand jury indicted Kay on two counts of distributing the fentanyl that officials say resulted in 27-year-old Skaggs's death. The indictment also alleges that Kay and others who are not named conspired to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl beginning in or before 2017. One charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and the other a maximum of 20 years, although Kay is currently free on his own recognizance. Skaggs was found dead on July 1, 2019 in his hotel room in suburban Dallas, where the Angels were due to start a four-game series against the Texas Rangers. A coroner's report listed the cause of his death as "alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone intoxication." This week's indictment, which comes after a deadline to indict was twice extended as the sides discussed a plea bargain, charges Kay "did knowingly and intentionally distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and the use of said substance resulted in the death and serious bodily injury of (Skaggs)." Kay, who worked in the Angels' media relations department for 24 years, was placed on leave shortly after Skaggs's death and never returned to the team. He had been arrested on August 7 on a charge of distributing fentanyl but hadn't entered a plea. Angels officials said they were not aware that any team employee provided opioids to any player. bb/js
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