LGBTQ Nation reports that Mayor Silva has a history of supporting anti-LGBT initiatives, once gave “God” a key to the city of Stockton, and has even held city counsel meetings in an anti-gay megachurch during his tenure. Today he responded to his arrest on charges related to a game of strip poker a year ago at a camp he runs for disadvantaged youth. Witnesses also informed Federal Bureau of Investigation agents that Silva provided alcohol to the participants, all of whom were underage, including a minor.
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Stockton, California Mayor Anthony Silva was arrested Thursday morning at his youth camp on several charges involving at least one minor.
In a statement, the union said Silva has had “misstep after misstep” that he has “shrugged off” since he was elected mayor in 2012. This was a month after he reported the missing gun to Chief Jones and two months after that gun was used in the Church Street drive-by.
She also said beer and vodka were present at the camp. The incident allegedly took place at his Stockton youth camp, a facility created to give at-risk inner city youth a safe place to spend part of their summer. He was released Thursday afternoon on $20,000 bail. He waved a brief goodbye to a deputy who escorted him outside.
Mayor Anthony Silva was arrested yesterday at the camp.
“As this will obviously be an ongoing legal battle, I can’t make too many comments about the case”.
The mayor’s government website describes him as a Stockton native who “has a passion for helping youth”. Around the time of Silva’s arrest, parents of children attending the youth camp got a recorded call notifying them of the mayor’s arrest. According to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in Amador County Superior Court, Silva is charged with a felony count of eavesdropping or recording confidential communications and three misdemeanors, including furnishing an alcoholic beverage to a minor and cruelty to child by endangering health.
During his short statement, Silva first addressed the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s claim that he has been uncooperative in the investigation into the murder of a 13-year-old boy, the death was connected to a gun that Silva previously owned and had reported stolen.
The FBI turned over contents of the cellphone to Amador County on July 26.
The contents included almost two dozen photographs of people who appeared to be under 21 in possession of alcohol or near alcohol, said Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe.
CBS reports Silva’s cellphone was seized by the FBI and investigators zeroed in on four videos and 23 photos. Authorities seized his phone and found a video appearing to show the device being set down on a table during the strip poker match, continuing to record audio of the game.
The video contains mostly audio after players in the room said they didn’t want to be video recorded, Riebe said.
Prosecutors said that the taped conversation indicated that the participants, who were naked, were recorded against their will. No charges were ever filed, and Silva told FOX News that the woman was a disgruntled former employee. “These counselors are responsible for 75 kids”.
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