In a preliminary hearing for Bryan Silva, the 25-year-old social media celebrity who starred in an hours-long police standoff January 3, was denied bond—again.
This time, his mother, Robin, was present to testify that she had no firearms at her Orange County home and Silva could come live with her if he were allowed out on bond.
Silva is charged with abduction and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in his most recent arrest. Since 2009, he has been charged with assault, shoplifting or altering the prices of merchandise, destruction of property and possession of marijuana in Charlottesville and in Albemarle and Orange counties.
At the February 11 preliminary hearing, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Joe Platania said police found a 9mm handgun in Silva’s house after the standoff and argued that it matched a gun Silva can be seen holding in his Facebook photos. Both the gun they found and the one in the photo had a LaserMax mounted onto it, which matched the description of what his 17-year-old girlfriend said he pointed at her that morning. Police found the LaserMax box, along with a pistol cleaning kit, in a desk drawer in Silva’s house.
Charlottesville Police Detective Lee Gibson testified that after Silva’s girlfriend called 911 on January 3 to report being held against her will and threatened with a gun, she gave police the Facebook photo of Silva holding the gun and said it was the same gun and laser he pointed at her.
Police arrived at Silva’s Jefferson Park Avenue home around 7am and Silva walked in and out of the front door several times while yelling at the officers, said Gibson. Soon after, they made phone contact with the local Internet celebrity, who was posting videos of the standoff to his thousands of followers but refused to exit the home. A SWAT team shot tear gas into the home, forcing Silva out around 3pm, and Gibson said he talked with Silva while other officers secured the home.
According to Gibson, Silva said a friend had left the gun in the house.
Silva’s attorney, John March, said several people had access to the home and in the bedroom where police found two live rounds of ammunition, not all materials belonged to Silva.
“I don’t think there is anything that puts the gun in possession of Mr. Silva,” March said. He also told the judge that Silva has been in solitary confinement ever since he’s been in prison.
Silva will appear in front of a grand jury February 16.