A 31-year-old San Mateo County man is facing felony charges after Contra Costa County prosecutors say he drove to Martinez last summer intending to sexually abuse a girl he believed was a minor. Robert Vincent Silvia has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts, including attempted lewd or lascivious acts with a minor and meeting a minor for a lewd purpose, after allegedly showing up for a prearranged meetup at an apartment complex.
Court records and reporting indicate Silvia was arrested on July 25, 2025, after he arrived at a Center Avenue apartment complex in Martinez in response to a planned meetup, according to The Mercury News. The criminal complaint lists felony counts of attempted lewd acts with a minor, meeting a minor for lewd purposes, and distributing lewd material to a minor, along with a misdemeanor charge for possessing a controlled substance. Records show Silvia posted $300,000 bail and was released in late July 2025 while the case moves forward.
Legal stakes
Under California law, arranging to meet a child for sex and sending sexually explicit material to minors are treated as serious crimes that can result in prison time and mandatory sex-offender registration. Penal Code 288.4 makes arranging and then attending a meeting with a minor for lewd purposes punishable by enhanced terms, and Penal Code 288.2 covers distributing harmful sexual material to minors. Prosecutors frequently rely on those statutes in undercover online enticement cases.
How authorities say the sting unfolded
Investigators allege Silvia spent time chatting online with a Contra Costa County sheriff's deputy who was posing as a 13-year-old girl, then drove to Martinez expecting to meet her, according to The Mercury News. On the way, police say, he stopped to buy condoms, Nerds candy, and vodka seltzers before heading to the Center Avenue complex, where deputies arrested him when he arrived. Court filings state that Silvia has pleaded not guilty and denies the accusations.
Regional context
The case lands amid a run of Bay Area undercover operations aimed at adults who seek out minors online. A recent Morgan Hill arrest this month involved similar allegations of a meetup with a youth arranged through social media, according to reporting by NBC Bay Area. Federal and local task forces, including the FBI's Violent Crimes Against Children program and Internet Crimes Against Children teams, say these stings are a standard tool for cutting off potential abuse before it reaches a real child. Law enforcement officials say the goal is to intercept suspects at the doorstep rather than at a crime scene.
Court calendar and next steps
Silvia is scheduled to appear in court in Martinez on March 26, according to the complaint and court records. He faces multiple felony counts that could carry prison time if he is convicted, and the case is expected to continue through a series of pretrial hearings in Contra Costa County as prosecutors review evidence and the court weighs the allegations.
