Police arrested a former Republican New Mexico State House candidate Monday for shootings at the homes of local elected officials, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) announced.
Solomon Pena lost his November race against incumbent Democratic State Rep. Michael Garcia, subsequently contracting someone to carry out at least two shootings at elected officials’ homes for cash, APD Commander Kyle Hartsock said at a Monday press conference. Pena has been accused of paying and conspiring with four men to shoot at two county commissioners and two state legislators’ homes overall, according to APD Chief Harold Medina. (RELATED: REPORT: Two Florida Men Arrested For Shooting At Christmas Pajama Party)
APD has arrested Solomon Peña for the recent shootings at local lawmakers’ homes. Peña, an unsuccessful legislative candidate in the 2022 election, is accused of conspiring with, and paying four other men to shoot at the homes of 2 county commissioners and 2 state legislators.
— APD Chief of Police (@ABQPoliceChief) January 16, 2023
In November, Pena made unannounced visits to the homes of three allegedly targeted officials, Democratic Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa, former County Commissioner Debbie O’Malley and Rep. Linda Lopez, claiming his lost election was a fraud, and repeatedly made similar allegations on social media, the Albuquerque Journal reported. He previously spent seven years in prison after being convicted in 2008 of large-scale stealing from retail stores.
Barboa and O’Malley voted to certify the election results on Nov. 18, according to the Albuquerque Journal.
Authorities have evidence that Pena pulled a trigger in one of the shootings, with Bernalillo County Sheriff’s pulling over a car used to facilitate that shooting 40 minutes later and recovering multiple firearms, Hartsock said in the press conference.
The APD did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for further comment.
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