A failed republican candidate was declared guilty on Wednesday to hire people to shoot at the houses of local democratic leaders after he lost an election for the New Mexico House of Representatives, according to his lawyer and affiliate of NBC KOB of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Solomon Peña, 41, was accused of multiple serious crimes, including three application positions to commit a crime of violence, three charges of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and downloading the firearm, being a criminal in possession of a firearm and conspiracy, according to a federal supernicated of the protection against him in the district of the United States in the cultivation of a gun.
A jury found him guilty in all charges on Wednesday night, according to his lawyer, Nicholas T. Hart and Kob.
He faces life in prison. A sentence date has not been established.
Federal prosecutors said Peña organized a shooting aimed at the houses of four elected officials between December 4, 2022 and January 3, 2023, according to judicial records.
“When refusing to accept its electoral defeat, Peña organized a shooting that attacked the houses of four elected officials and their families,” prosecutors said.
In a text message after the jury’s verdict, Hart called it “a parody.”
“The evidence showed that Pena had nothing to do with these shootings. Solomon Pena was prosecuted for their political beliefs, and because he advocated that the 2020 elections were stolen and manipulated,” said Hart.
He added: “Meanwhile, the men who really triggered and terrified these politicians will walk freely. This is how our system is supposed to work.”
Prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comments on the verdict.
The shootings, one of whom involved a machine gun, were carried out by Peña and the coacked Demetrio Trujillo, 43, and his son, José Trujillo, 24, according to federal prosecutors.
Both men declared themselves guilty last year of conspiracy positions, interference with federally protected activities, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence and other positions, prosecutors said.
They have not been sentenced but faced with life imprisonment.
During the trial, Hart blamed Demetrio and José Trujillo for carrying out the shootings. He said that Peña did not commit the shootings, he never ordered them or was there when the shootings occurred.
The evidence shows that the father and the son are totally responsible for these shootings and are trying to hold him to Peña, he said.
“They see the opportunity to get out of jail and avoid prison for all its misdeeds,” Hart said.
The accusation against Peña did not appoint the elected officials whose houses were attacked, but said that Peña attacked a state senator, two members of the Board of Commissioners of Bernalillo County and a nearby political ally. Some of the officials have been publicly identified.
“Peña came to my house just after the elections,” said Bernalillo County Commissioner, Adriann Barboa, in 2023. “It was a bit erratic at the points I was trying to do on the elections and how many doors hit and how the number of votes did not coincide.”
Eight shots were shot at his home on December 4, 2022, the first of the specific shooting series, he said.
The former County Commissioner, Debbie O’Malley, shared a similar experience with Peña: “This guy came to my house. I was very worried about that and was very disturbing. I was angry to lose the elections.”
Bullets hit his house on December 11 and on December 12, 2022, while she and her husband slept, police said.
Albuquerque Police said at least eight shots were also shot at the house of state senator Linda López.
