A failed Republican candidate who authorities mentioned was indignant over his defeat and made baseless claims the election final November was “rigged” in opposition to him was arrested in reference to a collection of drive-by shootings concentrating on the properties of Democratic lawmakers in New Mexico’s largest metropolis.
Solomon Pena, 39, was arrested Monday night, simply hours after SWAT officers took him into custody and served search warrants at his house, police mentioned.
Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina described Pena because the “mastermind” of what he mentioned seems to be a politically motivated conspiracy resulting in shootings on the properties of two county commissioners and two state legislators between early December and early January.
Nobody was injured within the shootings however in a single case, three bullets handed by the bed room of a state senator’s 10-year-old daughter.
Pena ran unsuccessfully in November in opposition to incumbent state Rep. Miguel P. Garcia, the longtime Democrat representing Home District 14 within the South Valley. Garcia gained by 48 proportion factors, or roughly 3,600 votes.
After the election, police mentioned, Pena confirmed up uninvited on the elected officers' properties with what he claimed have been paperwork proving he had gained his race. There was no proof of widespread voter fraud in New Mexico in 2020 or 2022.
The shootings started shortly after these conversations.
“This kind of radicalism is a risk to our nation and has made its method to our doorstep proper right here in Albuquerque, New Mexico," Mayor Tim Keller mentioned. “However I do know we're going to push again, and we won't enable this to cross the brink.”
4 males conspired with Pena, who's accused of paying them money to hold out at the very least two of the drive-by shootings in stolen automobiles, whereas Pena “pulled the set off” throughout one of many crimes, Deputy Police Commander Kyle Hartsock mentioned.
Detectives recognized Pena as their key suspect utilizing a mixture of cellphone and automobile data, witness interviews and bullet casings collected on the lawmakers’ properties, police mentioned. His arrest got here one week after Medina within the shootings.
A lawyer for Pena who might touch upon the allegations wasn’t listed Monday evening in jail data.
Nobody was injured within the shootings, which unfolded amid an increase in threats to members of Congress, college board members, election officers and different authorities staff across the nation. In Albuquerque, regulation enforcement has struggled to deal with back-to-back years of file homicides and chronic gun violence.
The shootings started Dec. 4, when eight rounds have been fired on the house of Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa. Days later, state Rep. Javier Martinez's house was focused, adopted by a Dec. 11 capturing on the house of Bernalillo County Commissioner Debbie O’Malley. Greater than a dozen rounds have been fired at her house, police mentioned.
The ultimate associated capturing, concentrating on state Sen. Linda Lopez's house, unfolded within the midnight hour of Jan. 3. Police mentioned greater than a dozen pictures have been fired and Lopez mentioned three of the bullets handed by her 10-year-old daughter’s bed room.
Investigators acquired a break within the case after expertise that may detect the sound of gunfire led an officer to Lopez's neighborhood shortly after the pictures have been fired.
The officer discovered bullet casings matching a handgun discovered later that morning in a Nissan Maxima registered to Pena. Round 1:30 a.m., about an hour after the capturing at Lopez's house, police stopped the Nissan about 4 miles (6 kilometers) from the lawmaker's neighborhood.
The driving force, recognized Monday evening as Jose Trujillo, was arrested on an impressive warrant, resulting in the invention of greater than 800 fentanyl tablets and two firearms within the automobile, police mentioned.
A legal grievance outlining the precise expenses in opposition to the previous political candidate was anticipated to be launched within the coming days. Extra arrests and expenses additionally have been anticipated, however police declined to elaborate, citing the continued investigation.
Detectives additionally have been investigating two extra shootings they initially believed might be associated to the Pena case: one within the neighborhood of New Mexico Lawyer Basic Raul Torrez’s former marketing campaign workplace and one other at state Sen. Antonio Maestas’ workplace. Police on Monday mentioned the shootings don't seem like linked.
The New Mexico Republican Get together condemned Pena in a press release Monday evening. “If Pena is discovered responsible, he should be prosecuted to the total extent of the regulation.”