Prosecutors say Solomon Peña, a failed GOP candidate accused of orchestrating a series of drive-by shootings at the homes of Democratic officials in Albuquerque, N.M., is a danger to the community and should be detained pending trial. “The defendant’s actions show what lengths he is willing to go when he is dissatisfied with reality,” prosecutors told a judge. “He arranged multiple shootings of multiple homes, and he personally participated in at least one of the shootings. There is no reason to believe that someone so unwilling to accept reality will give any credence to court ordered conditions of release.” The charges include shooting at a home, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, conspiracy and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Authorities identified the 39-year-old felon using a combination of cellphone and vehicle records, bullet casings collected near the officials’ homes and information from a confidential witness.
Peña posted on social media after the November election that it was “rigged” and he would not concede despite losing his bid for the statehouse in a district that has been held by Democrats for yea The political newcomer allegedly paid for four men to shoot at Democratic officials’ homes, including one house where a 10-year-old girl was asleep. The case of Peña, who posted photos of himself online with Donald Trump campaign material, is one of dozens where people have threatened, and in some cases attempted to carry out, violence against members of Congress, school board members and other election officials. A self-proclaimed “MAGA king,” Peña expressed discontent with the election and the certification of the results in a text message sent to one of his alleged coconspirators in November. A SWAT team arrested Peña on Monday. Peña spent nine years behind bars after his arrest in 2007 for stealing electronics and other goods from retail stores as part of what authorities described as a burglary crew.