Mayor Anthony Silva isn’t the only person on Stockton’s election ballot facing significant legal troubles. Last week, a judge ruled that Stockton City Council candidate Sam Fant will stand trial on felony conspiracy and election fraud charges. Fant’s arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 14, six days after the election. His trial won’t begin until well after that.
Fant is accused of helping two candidates win election to the Manteca Unified board in 2014, despite their failure to meet district residency requirements. Both were forced to resign as a result. One is now facing trial and another has accepted a plea agreement.
Fant’s attorney called the charges against him an act of “political sabotage.” That didn’t sit well with District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar, who blasted “individuals” that make false statements about the integrity of her office in order to deflect from the evidence against them.
Fant is running against Jesús Andrade to replace Michael Tubbs in City Council District 6. The charges against him were known during the June primary, but he still managed to finish in first place with Andrade just behind him.