Former Republican state house candidate Solomon Peña was sentenced on Wednesday to 80 years in prison for orchestrating a series of drive-by shootings targeting the homes of Democratic officials in New Mexico after his 2022 election defeat.
Federal prosecutors said Peña, convinced without evidence that he was a victim of election fraud, planned the attacks in Albuquerque between December 2022 and January 2023. The shootings targeted four officials, including the current state house speaker, but caused no injuries.
Peña was convicted earlier this year on 13 felony counts, including conspiracy, interference with federally protected activities, and using firearms in a crime of violence. Prosecutors said that after his loss, Peña pressured the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners not to certify the results.
When they refused, he recruited Jose Trujillo and Demetrio Trujillo to carry out the shootings; both pleaded guilty in 2024.
“Violence and intimidation have no place in our elections,” U.S. Attorney for New Mexico Ryan Ellison said after the sentencing. Peña’s lawyer, Nicholas Hart, said his client intends to appeal.
The case is one of the most severe examples of politically motivated violence in recent years, echoing a rise in threats to public officials since false election fraud claims surged following Donald Trump’s refusal to concede the 2020 presidential race.
Written By Rodney Mbua
