Stockton mayor allegedly gave minors alcohol, played strip poker at summer camp

STOCKTON, Calif. -- The mayor of Stockton was arrested Thursday for crimes against children. Anthony Silva is charged with providing alcohol to minors last summer at a youth camp he runs.

There were growing calls in Stockton for the mayor to resign. They're coming from the police union and at least one city councilmember. And this is not the first time Silva has been in trouble with the law.

According to Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe, the mayor participated in a booze-fueled game of strip poker with underage counselors at his annual youth summer camp for children.

Riebe signed a warrant for Silva's arrest at the camp Thursday morning and the mayor bailed out in the afternoon.

"This didn't have to result in an arrest," said Silva's attorney Mark Reichel. "They've been talking about this information for a year and they could clearly make a call say we're going to have a court date in August."

The charges include:

• Recording confidential info (eavesdropping)
• Furnishing alcohol to a person under 21
• Contributing to the delinquency of a minor
• Child endangerment

According to officials in Amador County, the allegations stem from a strip poker game in Silva's bedroom at the Silver Lake Camp last summer.

The audio was recorded on the mayor's cellphone, which was confiscated by the FBI.

"That clip contains audio of a conversation between participants involved in a strip poker game that occurred in Silva's bedroom," Riebe said. "The conversation between the participants indicated that they were naked. One of the participants was a 16-year-old male."

In all, investigators say they found 23 photos and four video clips relating to Silva's activity with teens at the camp.

According to a witness, another investigator told the district attorney that Silva has cameras installed in his bedroom at the Stockton Kids Club.