Former Stockton Mayor Anthony Silva is pleading not guilty to charges of financial crimes including embezzlement, misappropriation of public money and grand theft. Silva entered the plea during an appearance in San Joaquin County Superior Court on Monday.
Silva has been under arrest since returned to the United States on Sunday from a trip to South America described as a vacation. After his arrest at the San Francisco International he was booked into the French Camp jail facility.
The charges were filed by the San Joaquin County District Attorney after law enforcement received a search warrant to search the Stockton Kids Club and Silva's Stockton home.
The judge is leaving Silva's bail amount at one-million dollars despite the argument by Silva's attorney that the former Stockton mayor's trip out of the country had nothing to do with the investigation into possible financial misconduct and the search of the Silva's home. Silva himself claimed to have sent an email to the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office to assure officials he would coming back to the United States to face the charges.