Former Stockton mayor Anthony Silva pleads no contest to a conflict of interest charge after prosecution agrees to drop other charges of financial malfeasance
Stockton, Calif.—May 25, 2019— Former Stockton mayor Anthony Silva accepted a plea deal on May 20 in which multiple charges against him were dropped. Originally facing charges (Case # STK-CR-FE-2017-2704) that included grand theft, embezzlement and money laundering in connection with the Kids Club of Stockton, Silva pled no contest to a conflict of interest charge.
“It’s been a long and somewhat heated road these past three years,” said Allen Sawyer, the former mayor’s attorney, who helped negotiate the plea deal. “I’m very pleased the district attorney’s office decided to take a second look at the case and re-evaluate the allegations against my client.”
The standing conflict of interest charge relates to Silva’s directing of $5,000 of public money from a mayoral discretionary fund to the Kids Club of Stockton, formerly known as the Stockton Boys & Girls Club, where he was CEO before he left office in 2013. Silva will not be required to repay the $5,000, but has agreed to pay nearly $20,000 in restitution to a different charitable organization.
“This specific allegation was substantiated by the district attorney’s office, and my client admitted to his mistake,” said Sawyer, who maintains Silva stole nothing and hurt no one. “The other allegations, which stemmed from an early assessment of evidence, have gone unproven.”
Silva has agreed to serve a maximum sentence of six months in jail. His sentencing date has been set for July 29, when Judge Charlotte Orcutt will announce the extent of his sentence and whether or not Silva will instead be placed in an alternative work program. Beyond possible jail time, Silva will be on probation for three years.
Following the legal resolution, Silva expressed both relief and gratitude for Sawyer’s efforts.
“He is looking forward to putting this whole ordeal behind him,” said Sawyer. “People close to the Kids’ Club of Stockton feel the situation was inaccurately portrayed. I certainly hope the public takes notice that the untrue allegations against my client are unproven, and give him the benefit of the doubt.”