[1] Silva attended the now defunct Village Oaks Elementary and Lincoln High School where he developed a passion for swimming, water polo, and musical choir.
[11] Silva cites his personal experience and exposure as a child to other troubled youth in the community as what motivates him to champion programs for at-risk kids.
[10] Silva was president of the Stockton Unified school board, representing the southeast area from 2004 to 2008 before winning the mayoral candidacy in 2012.
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.
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 [14] On May 15, 2014, Silva slept in a cardboard box outside to draw attention to the problem of homelessness[15] and highlight his initiative to establish an employment resource center for misplaced persons.
[20] 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.
[21][22] 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.
[25] 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.
McIntire would corroborate Mitchell's version of events despite the CHP obtaining an emergency protection order immediately following the incident on her behalf.
[31] Several months later, driver Ty Reis would file a civil lawsuit against five persons including Silva, indicating that he was never reimbursed for the damages sustained to the limousine.
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.
[40] 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.
[38] On December 18, 2023, Silva announced his return to the political arena after a seven-year hiatus, declaring his intention to run for the City Council District 2.