A former New Mexico House of Representatives candidate has been found guilty by a federal jury of planning a shooting spree targeting elected officials’ houses and then plotting to murder witnesses to disrupt the trial.
Solomon Peña, 40, was sentenced for his activities after losing the November 2022 midterm elections.
After losing his run for District 14, Peña pushed the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners to not certify the election results. After they declined, Peñ planned and participated in a series of shootings targeting the residences of two Bernalillo County commissioners and two New Mexico state legislators.
The shootings took place between December 4, 2022, and January 3, 2023, with one event utilizing a machine gun. Co-conspirators Demetrio Trujillo (41) and Jose Trujillo (24) helped Peña commit these acts.
Jose Trujillo had already pled guilty to conspiracy, interference with federally protected activity, weapons, and narcotics possession. Demetrio Trujillo pleaded guilty to conspiracy and gun counts. Both are awaiting sentence.
After his arrest, Pe’a tried to convince convicts to kill witnesses in order to suppress their testimony during his trial.
The jury convicted Peña of conspiracy, intimidation, interference with federally protected activities, using or carrying a firearm during a crime of violence (including a machine gun charge), felon in possession of a firearm, and solicitation to commit a crime of violence.
Peña has a required minimum penalty of 60 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A sentencing hearing will be arranged for a later date.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated the case, with support from the Albuquerque Police Department and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office.