An indictment unsealed May 31 in the District of New Mexico charges a former candidate for the New Mexico House of Representatives for a shooting spree that targeted the homes of four elected officials.
Solomon Peña, 40, ran for a seat in the New Mexico House of Representatives during the November 2022 midterm elections.
After his electoral defeat, Peña allegedly organized the shootings on the homes of two Bernalillo County commissioners and two New Mexico state legislators. The shootings, one of which involved a machine gun, were carried out between Dec. 4, 2022, and Jan. 3, 2023, with assistance from co-conspirators Demetrio Trujillo, 41; Jose Trujillo, 22; and others.
Before the shootings, Peña visited the homes of at least three Bernalillo County commissioners and allegedly urged them not to certify the election results, claiming the election had been “rigged” against him. Following the Bernalillo County board of commissioners’ certification of the vote, Peña allegedly hired others to conduct the shootings and carried out at least one of the shootings himself. At least three of the shootings occurred while children and other relatives of the victims were at home.
“There is no room in our democracy for politically motivated violence, especially when it is used to undermine election results,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As alleged, Solomon Peña orchestrated four shootings at the homes of elected officials, in part because of their refusal to overturn his election defeat. Such violent actions target not only the homes and families of elected officials, but also our election system as a whole.”
“In America, the integrity of our voting system is sacrosanct,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico. “These charges strike at the heart of our democracy. Voters, candidates, and election officials must be free to exercise their rights and do their jobs safely and free from fear, intimidation, or influence, and with confidence that law enforcement and prosecuting offices will lead the charge when someone tries to silence the will of the people.”
Peña, Demetrio Trujillo, and Jose Trujillo are charged with conspiracy, interference with federally protected activities, and several firearms offenses, including the use of a machine gun. If convicted, Peña faces a mandatory minimum of 60 years in prison. Jose Trujillo was also charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and firearms offenses, including possession of a machine gun.