Solomon Peña Convicted in Drive-By Shootings Targeting New Mexico Democratic Officials

The former Republican candidate faces a potential life sentence after being found guilty of organizing politically motivated attacks following his 2022 election loss.

• A jury found Solomon Peña guilty of 13 federal charges, including conspiracy and weapons-related offenses, for orchestrating drive-by shootings at the homes of four Democratic officials in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
• The shootings occurred between December 4, 2022, and January 3, 2023, following Peña’s landslide loss in the 2022 state legislative election by nearly 50 percentage points.
• Prosecutors argued that Peña believed the election was 'rigged' and sought to retaliate against officials who had certified the results, but no injuries were reported during the attacks.
• Two co-defendants, Demetrio and Jose Trujillo, who carried out the shootings, testified against Peña after pleading guilty to related charges in exchange for leniency.
• Peña, who has been in custody since his January 2023 arrest, plans to appeal the verdict, while a sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.

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