Anthony Silva

Anthony Silva (born 1974) is an American politician who served as the 78th mayor of Stockton, California from 2013 until 2017.

Early life Silva was born on November 22, 1974, in Stockton, California, to military veteran Anthony Ray Silva Sr. and registered nurse Diane Cecile Pearce Westcott. His mother was the daughter of June Westcott Fisher, a teacher at Cleveland Elementary, On August 6, 1976, the senior Silva became a fugitive when he escaped the honor farm in French Camp while serving a sentence for burglary. He and Silva's mother divorced, at which point Silva's mother raised him for a time as a single parent. Subsequently, Silva lived with his maternal grandmother for a few years, with whom he was very close. Silva also attended Humphrey's University in Stockton.

At the age of fifteen, Silva began working as a swim coach and lifeguard at the Village Oaks swimming pool. This early experience would eventually see Silva hold various related positions in the community including Health and Safety Director of the American Red Cross, Stockton Parks and Recreation commissioner, and CEO of the former Boys and Girls Club of Stockton. Silva also served on the board of directors for Silver Lake Camp and the Miss San Joaquin County scholarship program as well as working with the county's Human Services Agency as the Aquatics Program Director.

Mayor of Stockton Silva was elected mayor in the Stockton's 2012 mayoral election, unseating incumbent mayor Ann Johnston. Throughout his campaign, Silva had advocated for a safer Stockton, suggesting a tax increase that would assist the embattled police department in fighting the city's rising crime. Silva also pledged not to collect a paycheck until the city's budget was balanced and crime had abated. Six months into his term, however, Silva announced that he felt compelled to take the salary after being advised repeatedly by the City Attorney's office that he may still have tax liability on the reportable income. Silva vowed to donate the $18,000 in backpay to local charities such as the Boys and Girls Club, Stockton Shelter for the Homeless, and animal rescue services

On May 15, 2014, Silva slept in a cardboard box outside to draw attention to the problem of homelessness and highlight his initiative to establish an employment resource center for misplaced persons. This proposal was met with support by many within the homeless community.

In December 2015, Silva announced a development plan for Stockton. The plan would build on the city's waterfront and create an airport. The person was said to be intolerant of diverse communities, including discriminating based on race and sexuality.

LGBT organizations and atheist groups protested Silva hosting civic meetings in a church that opposed LGBT rights. Silva responded that he was sensitive to the concerns and issued an apology.

Silva ran for re-election in 2016 but lost to Michael Tubbs, who received 70.4 percent of the vote.

Legal issues

In 2013, the San Joaquin District Attorney's office announced it had concluded an investigation into alleged sexual battery committed by Silva. According to the 2012 allegation, a 19-year old teen formerly employed by the Boys and Girls Club as a lifeguard was performing housework for Silva when he began to pressure her to drink alcoholic beverages in the summer of 2011. The accuser alleged Silva then pulled her across his lap and spanked her buttocks. The chairman of the Boys and Girls Club Guy Hatch defended Silva, saying that the allegation had been investigated by the organization and was determined to be retaliatory in nature due to the young woman being fired. The District Attorney would also later conclude that the witness was not credible.

That same year, an anonymous email containing a 2005 police report would be sent out to hundreds, potentially thousands within the community. The report stemmed from an investigation wherein Silva allegedly bragged about filming underage girls changing in his home via a hidden camera when he was coaching water polo at Franklin High School. The incident was investigated by Stockton Unified Police, with the District Attorney electing not to file charges.

On December 14, 2014, Silva took a hired limousine to The Mix Sacramento nightclub with a group of several people. During the limo's return trip to Silva's home, a fight broke out among the passengers, all of whom were described by the CHP as being heavily intoxicated. Curtis Mitchell and his fiancée Robin McIntire began an argument that allegedly progressed to Mitchell beating McIntire and destroying the limo's interior. The driver called 911 which resulted in the arrest of Mitchell. Silva was also temporarily placed in handcuffs at which time the driver alleged Silva attempted to leverage his position as mayor, but was ultimately not given any special treatment by the CHP. Silva would later deny any kind of grandstanding on his part. Mitchell was eventually charged with domestic violence and vandalism misdemeanors. Silva did not face any charges.

After the limo incident was made public, both Silva and Mitchell's account of the events differed widely. Silva contended that he was not at all well acquainted with Mitchell prior to that evening, while Mitchell claimed that he and Silva had been "hanging out for several months" leading up to the incident. The $12,000 charge was later reversed by Mitchell, who contended along with his lawyer that the amount was exorbitant and that Mitchell did not shoulder all the blame.

On February 23, 2015, a 13-year-old boy was killed with a gun that was later found to have been registered to Silva. Silva alleged that all participants were at least 18 years of age and was sentenced to a year of probation and community service after pleading no contest to supplying alcohol to persons under 21. All other charges related to the incident were dropped.

On March 5, 2017, Silva was arrested at San Francisco International Airport. He was charged with grand theft, embezzlement, profiteering, misappropriation of public funds, conflict of interest, and money laundering related to his running of a local non-profit kids' club. In 2019 he pled guilty to one felony conflict of interest charge as part of a plea deal. The conflict of interest charge arose from Silva's transferring of $5,000 from a mayoral discretionary fund to the then Boy's and Girl's Club that he was CEO of in 2013. The felony was later reduced to a misdemeanor, before eventually being expunged from Silva's record.

Personal life Silva has two sons, the eldest of which enlisted in the U.S. Army upon graduation from high school. On October 13, 2017, Silva announced the birth of his second son.

Following his mayoral defeat and in the wake of multiple scandals, Silva moved to the mountains for a period of time to reflect. Silva also established the family entertainment center Indoor Adventures at the former Naughty Nick's location in Stockton.

Electoral history 2012 Stockton mayoral electionCandidateFirst-round Runoff Votes%Votes% Anthony Silva 7,263 21.42 44,159 59.26 Ann Johnston (incumbent) 13,830 40.79 30,360 40.74 Jimmie M. Rishwain 5,085 15.00 Ralph Lee White 3,918 11.55 Tony Stevens 1,601 4.72 James "Jim" Butler 1,166 3.44 Gregory S. Pitsch 904 2.67 Total 33,908 100 74,519 100

2016 Stockton mayoral electionCandidateFirst-round Runoff Votes%Votes% Michael Tubbs 15,847 33.42 56,165 79.57 Anthony Silva (incumbent) 12,499 26.36 23,426 29.43 Carlos Villapudua 11,425 24.10 Tony Mannor 2,309 4.87 Jimmie M. Rishwain 1,905 4.02 Gary Malloy 1,889 3.98 Sean Murray 1,118 2.36 Emiliano B. Adams 319 0.67 Write-ins 101 0.21 Total 47,412 100 79,591 100