Criminal complaint says Peña ‘wanted the shootings to be more aggressive’
By Stephanie Muñiz
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ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — Solomon Peña spent almost seven years in prison for smash-and-grab robberies.
Then he tried to run for office last year, but his eligibility for candidacy was challenged before he lost the election in Nov. 2022.
Now, Peña is facing up to 15 charges for allegedly conspiring and hiring four men to target elected officials’ homes.
“All felony charges of shooting into a dwelling shooting from a vehicle, attempted aggravated assault, obviously a felon in possession of a firearm. So these are very significant felonies. But what we haven’t seen is any attempted murder charges,” John Day, KOAT legal expert said.
The complaint also details a traffic stop by a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputy.
During the stop, they arrested Jose Trujillo and say they found 800 fentanyl pills, cash and guns.
According to the complaint, gun casings from the shooting at Sen. Linda Lopez’s home matched one of the guns.
According to APD, Peña tried to shoot at one of the homes but the gun jammed.
“Whether or not he was the actual one who pulled the trigger and whether or not the gun doesn’t go off, you still have an attempt right there and you can have a conspiracy to commit an attempt,” Day said.
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Police say they also uncovered a photo of Peña and Trujillo in that car. The car was registered to Peña.
According to the complaint, a confidential witness told investigators Peña wanted the shootings to be more aggressive.
“There is some information from a confidential informant that says that he was disappointed that apparently that no one had actually been hit and that he wanted them to aim lower in the house and the structure so that the chances of somebody being hit were greater,” Day said.
According to Day, charges against Peña could change with time.
According to the criminal complaint, Peña provided the guns used in the shootings and paid cash payments to the other four men involved.
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