US police say Solomon Pena, 39, was ‘mastermind’ of politically motivated conspiracy that led to New Mexico shootings.
A failed Republican candidate who US authorities say was offended over his defeat and made baseless claims the election in November was “rigged” towards him has been arrested in reference to a sequence of drive-by shootings focusing on the houses of Democratic lawmakers in New Mexico.
Solomon Pena, 39, was arrested Monday night, hours after officers took him into custody and served search warrants at his residence, 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 houses of two county commissioners and two state legislators from early December to early January.
Nobody was injured within the shootings, however in a single case, three bullets handed by way of the bed room of a state senator’s 10-year-old daughter.
Pena ran unsuccessfully in November towards state Consultant Miguel P Garcia, the longtime congressman for Home District 14 in South Valley within the Albuquerque metropolitan space. Garcia received by 48 proportion factors, or roughly 3,600 votes.
After the election, police mentioned, Pena confirmed up uninvited on the elected officers’ houses with what he claimed have been paperwork proving he had received his race. There was no proof of widespread voter fraud in New Mexico in 2020 or 2022.
The shootings started shortly after these conversations.
“The sort of radicalism is a menace to our nation and has made its approach 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 is not going to permit this to cross the edge.”
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 mix of cellphone and automobile data, witness interviews and bullet casings collected on the lawmakers’ houses, police mentioned. His arrest got here one week after Medina introduced investigators had recognized a suspect within the shootings.
Jail data out there late on Monday didn’t record a lawyer for Pena who might be capable to touch upon the allegations towards him.
The shootings unfolded as threats rise towards members of the USA Congress, faculty board members, election officers and different authorities employees across the nation. In Albuquerque, regulation enforcement has struggled to handle back-to-back years of document homicides and persistent gun violence.
The shootings started on December 4 when eight rounds have been fired on the residence of Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa. Days later, state Consultant Javier Martinez’s residence was focused, adopted by a December 11 taking pictures on the residence of Bernalillo County Commissioner Debbie O’Malley. Greater than a dozen rounds have been fired at her residence, police mentioned.
Thanks to our @ABQPOLICE officers and companions in regulation enforcement who labored tirelessly to make this arrest.
This radicalism is a menace to our metropolis, our state, and our nation. We'll proceed to push again towards hate in all varieties and cease political violence. https://t.co/OfItWrD8AT
— Mayor Tim Keller (@MayorKeller) January 17, 2023
The ultimate associated taking pictures focused state Senator Linda Lopez’s residence. It unfolded within the midnight hour of January 3. Police mentioned greater than a dozen photographs have been fired, and Lopez mentioned three of the bullets handed by way of her 10-year-old’s bed room.
Investigators acquired a break within the case after know-how that may detect the sound of gunfire led an officer to Lopez’s neighbourhood shortly after the photographs have been fired.
The officer discovered bullet casings matching a handgun discovered later that morning in a Nissan Maxima registered to Pena. About an hour after the taking pictures at Lopez’s residence, police stopped the Nissan about 6km (4 miles) from the lawmaker’s neighbourhood.
The driving force, recognized on Monday night time as Jose Trujillo, was arrested on an impressive warrant, resulting in the invention of greater than 800 fentanyl capsules and two firearms within the automobile, police mentioned.
A prison grievance outlining the precise expenses towards the previous political candidate was anticipated to be launched within the coming days. Further arrests and expenses additionally have been anticipated, however police declined to elaborate, citing the continuing investigation.
The New Mexico Republican Occasion condemned Pena in a press release, saying, “If Pena is discovered responsible, he have to be prosecuted to the complete extent of the regulation.”
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