Republican failed state house candidate Solomon Peña is facing more federal charges, this time on a murder-for-hire scheme.
Peña allegedly tried to hire two people to kill witnesses to prevent them from testifying against him. He is set to be arraigned on April 4 on three charges after a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment this week.
The witnesses were not named in court documents.
The alleged solicitations happened June 7, 2023 and Feb. 2, 2024.
Peña was the alleged mastermind behind a series of shootings at prominent Democrats’ homes in Albuquerque in late 2022 and early 2023.
The shootings occurred at the homes of Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa, then-Bernalillo County Commissioner Debbie O’Malley, state Sen. Linda Lopez and House Speaker Javier Martinez.
Peña allegedly hired the Demetrio and Jose Trujillo and two other so-far unnamed gunmen, to shoot at Democrats’ homes. Both Trujillos plead guilty to their parts in the scheme.
Peña was disgruntled after losing his bid for incumbent state Rep. Miguel Garcia’s seat.
Garcia, a Democrat, won 74 percent of the vote to Peña’s 26 percent.
Peña posted to social media prior to the shootings that he felt the election was “rigged” against him.
Prior to the 2022 election, Garcia sued to have Peña removed from the ballot on the grounds that Peña was a convicted felon. The judge ruled in Peña’s favor and he was allowed to remain on the ballot.
Peña was convicted on burglary counts in 2006 and 2007, serving nine years in prison for the crimes.
Garcia is running for reelection in House District 14 and will face Republican challenger Konnie Legried in the general election.
In the shooting case, Peña was originally charged on four counts each of shooting at a dwelling or occupied building, shooting at or from a motor vehicle and conspiracy to shoot at a dwelling or occupied building. He was also charged with receipt, transportation or possession of a firearm or destructive device by certain persons, attempt to commit a felony, to wit: aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal solicitation to commit shooting at a dwelling or occupied building.
Shortly after his arrest, Peña was being investigated by the State Ethics Commission on potential campaign finance law violations.
“The Commission doesn’t discuss any ongoing investigations into alleged allegations, however we will make any enforcement action the Commission takes in district court public on our Commission Action page,” State Ethics Commission spokeswoman Jane Kirkpatrick told the NM Political Report via email Thursday.
Peña is expected to appear before federal Magistrate Judge John F. Robbenhaar on April 4 at the federal courthouse in Albuquerque on the new charges.
