The former mayor of San Joaquin Valley in Stockton, California was accused in the past of playing strip poker with teenagers at a youth camp then secretly recording them and now he faces another legal battle. The politician, Anthony Silva, was arrested due to embezzlement charges.
Silva was arrested on Sunday at the San Francisco International Airport. According to the reports locally, the former mayor just got back from a vacation in Colombia. The warrant for his arrested was approved on Thursday but he left the country a day before, The Washington Post reported.
Aside from the embezzlement charge, he was also hit with money laundering, grand theft, misappropriation of public funds and other related charges. There were no details about what brought the charges but it was confirmed FBI agents were involved in the search of Silva's home as well as the Stockton Kids Club. The Stockton Kids Club was previously managed by Silva.
His attorney, Mark Reichel, said the search of the home and the Stockton Kids Club was heavy handed. He also said his client was transparent regarding his plans related to the Colombia vacation and they believe the arrest was too much as he could have been appropriately summoned into court. The bail of Silva was set at $1 million and his arraignment will be in San Joaquin County, CBS News reported.
More on the prior accusations against Silva, he reportedly provided alcohol to minors who were playing a game of strip poker and then filmed the game. He was charged last year with a felony of secretly recording confidential communications without consent, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, child endangerment and providing alcohol to people under 21. The felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor.
Silva denied the allegations regarding the teenagers and said he believed everyone was 18 and he would never endanger a child. He also said he did not secretly record anyone.
These are not the first run-ins of Silva with the law. In 2012, a 19-year-old accused him of sexual battery. No charges were filed regarding that case.
