Solomon Pena Wiki

                      Solomon Pena Biography

Solomon Pena is taken into custody by Albuquerque Police officers on Jan. 16, 2023, in southwest Albuquerque, N.M.

A failed Republican candidate for the New Mexico state legislature who claimed the election was “rigged” was arrested Monday for allegedly orchestrating a series of shootings at the homes of Democratic officials in the state, police said.

Solomon Pena, who ran for a state House seat last November, was arrested in Albuquerque after a confrontation with a SWAT team. He is accused of hiring four men to open fire at the homes of two Bernalillo County commissioners, Adriann Barboa and Debbie O’Malley, and state senators Linda Lopez and Moe Maestas, according to authorities.

The shootings occurred between December 4, 2022 and January 5 of this year.

Deputy Commander Kyle Hartsock said at least five people, including Pena, were involved in the shootings, but police have described the former political candidate as the “mastermind” behind the crimes and allege he was the shooter in one case.

Police believe that Peña’s electoral defeat may have motivated him to organize the attacks.

“She had complaints about his choice and felt like she was being manipulated,” Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said Monday, according to NBC News. “As the mayor said, he denied the elections, he does not want to accept the results of his election.”

Arrested

Solomon Pena, a Republican candidate for New Mexico House District 14, was arrested in a series of shootings at the homes of Democratic officials.

Peña, an ex-convict who served seven years in prison for robbery, lost his state House race to incumbent Democrat Miguel P. García by a vote of 5,679 to 2,033, or 74% to 26%.

The election results were unanimously certified by the New Mexico State Canvassing Board.

But Peña still groundlessly refuted the results.

“Peña, an unsuccessful legislative candidate in the 2022 election, stands accused of conspiring and paying four other men to shoot up the homes of two county commissioners and two state legislators,” Medina said during a news conference Monday.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said that “this type of radicalism is a threat to our nation and it has come to our door … but I know we are going to back off and not let it cross the threshold.”