Latest news with #SolomonPeña
Epoch Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Former New Mexico Candidate Gets 80 Years in Shootings at Officials' Homes
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— A former political candidate was sentenced to 80 years in federal prison Wednesday for his convictions in a series of drive-by shootings at the homes of state and local lawmakers in the aftermath of the 2020 election. A jury convicted former Republican candidate Solomon Peña earlier this year of conspiracy, weapons and other charges in the shootings in December 2022 and January 2023 on the homes of four Democratic officials in Albuquerque, including the current state House speaker.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
New Mexico Republican candidate gets 80 years for shootings at Democrats' homes
A failed political candidate in New Mexico has been sentenced to 80 years in federal prison for his convictions in a series of drive-by shootings at the homes of state and local lawmakers in the aftermath of the 2020 election. A jury convicted former Republican candidate Solomon Peña in March of conspiracy, weapons and other charges in the shootings in December 2022 and January 2023 on the homes of four Democratic officials in Albuquerque, including the current state house speaker. Prosecutors, who had sought a 90-year sentence, said Peña has shown no remorse and had hoped to cause political change by terrorizing people who held contrary views to him into being too afraid to take part in political life. Peña's lawyers had sought a 60-year sentence, saying their client maintains that he is innocent of the charges. They have said Peña was not involved in the shootings and that prosecutors were relying on the testimony of two men who bear responsibility and accepted plea agreements in exchange for leniency. 'Today was a necessary step toward Mr Peña's continued fight to prove his innocence,' said Nicholas Hart, one of Peña's attorneys, after Wednesday's sentence. 'He looks forward to the opportunity to appeal, where serious issues about the propriety of this prosecution will be addressed.' The attacks took place as threats and acts of intimidation against election workers and public officials surged across the country after Donald Trump and his allies called into question the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Prosecutors said Peña resorted to violence in the belief that a 'rigged' election had robbed him of victory in his bid to serve in the state legislature. The shootings targeted the homes of officials including two county commissioners after their certification of the 2022 election, in which Peña lost by nearly 50 percentage points. No one was injured, but in one case bullets passed through the bedroom of a state senator's 10-year-old daughter. Two other men who had acknowledged helping Peña with the attacks had previously pleaded guilty to federal charges and received years-long prison sentences.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
New Mexico Republican political candidate gets 80 years for shootings at Democrats' homes
A failed political candidate in New Mexico has been sentenced to 80 years in federal prison for his convictions in a series of drive-by shootings at the homes of state and local lawmakers in the aftermath of the 2020 election. A jury convicted former Republican candidate Solomon Peña in March of conspiracy, weapons and other charges in the shootings in December 2022 and January 2023 on the homes of four Democratic officials in Albuquerque, including the current state house speaker. Prosecutors, who had sought a 90-year sentence, said Peña has shown no remorse and had hoped to cause political change by terrorizing people who held contrary views to him into being too afraid to take part in political life. Peña's lawyers had sought a 60-year sentence, saying their client maintains that he is innocent of the charges. They have said Peña was not involved in the shootings and that prosecutors were relying on the testimony of two men who bear responsibility and accepted plea agreements in exchange for leniency. 'Today was a necessary step toward Mr Peña's continued fight to prove his innocence,' said Nicholas Hart, one of Peña's attorneys, after Wednesday's sentence. 'He looks forward to the opportunity to appeal, where serious issues about the propriety of this prosecution will be addressed.' The attacks took place as threats and acts of intimidation against election workers and public officials surged across the country after Donald Trump and his allies called into question the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Prosecutors said Peña resorted to violence in the belief that a 'rigged' election had robbed him of victory in his bid to serve in the state legislature. The shootings targeted the homes of officials including two county commissioners after their certification of the 2022 election, in which Peña lost by nearly 50 percentage points. No one was injured, but in one case bullets passed through the bedroom of a state senator's 10-year-old daughter. Two other men who had acknowledged helping Peña with the attacks had previously pleaded guilty to federal charges and received years-long prison sentences.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ex-New Mexico candidate gets 80 years in prison over gun attacks on Democrats' homes
A failed GOP candidate in New Mexico who orchestrated a plot to kill political opponents after his 2022 election defeat was sentenced to 80 years in prison, federal prosecutors announced. Solomon Peña, who ran for a seat in the New Mexico legislature in 2022, was sentenced after being found guilty on charges including intimidation, interference with federally protected activities, and three counts of solicitation to commit a crime of violence, the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico, announced on Aug. 13. No one was hurt in the shootings. "Violence and intimidation have no place in our elections," said Ryan Ellison, the U.S. Attorney for New Mexico. "This sentence shows that through the tireless work of our agents and prosecutors, we will protect our democracy and bring offenders to justice." Accomplices Jose Trujillo and Demetrio Trujillo pleaded guilty last year on similar charges, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. They were sentenced to a collective 18 years in prison. While in custody, Peña tried offering fellow inmates money and a vehicle in exchange for killing the pair, federal officials said. An attorney for Peña did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment. "Across the country, we have seen a disturbing uptick in politically-motivated violence over the last several years," State Representative Javier Martínez, one of the targeted lawmakers, told USA TODAY in a statement. "Every single elected leader, regardless of the office we hold or the party we belong to, must speak up against this violence and the dangerous misinformation that fuels it." What did Solomon Peña do? Peña ran in the New Mexico House of Representatives during the 2022 midterm elections for a seat covering parts of Albuquerque. He lost to the Democratic incumbent Miguel P. García, with around 2,000 votes to García's 5,700, according to the state election results. Peña attempted to pressure the county board of commissioners to refuse to certify the election results, and when that failed, he turned to violence, prosecutors said. He orchestrated attacks on Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa, New Mexico state Representative Javier Martínez, former Bernalillo County Commissioner, New Mexico state Senator Debbie O'Malley, and New Mexico state Senator Linda Lopez. All are Democrats. The attacks occurred between Dec. 4, 2022, and Jan. 3, 2023. The bullets fired in the assaults hit houses, cars, and even passed inside the bedroom of a 10-year-old girl, according to court filings and statements from police. Barboa previously told USA TODAY that she laid blame for the attack on President Donald Trump. "People don't think that voice from the White House will reach all the way down to someone like Solomon Peña, but it does," Barboa said, recalling seeing the damage done by the bullets that whizzed through her living room and kitchen. "That year, for the whole entire year, we had election deniers coming to every meeting." Related: Court papers reveal details on former Republican candidate linked to shootings at New Mexico lawmakers' homes Political attacks in the U.S. Peña's sentencing comes amid a year that's seen deadly attacks against politicians. Minnesota state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman were assassinated at their home in June. Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, were also attacked the same night at their home. Vance Boelter, 57, has been charged in connection with the attacks. In May, Israeli Embassy staffers were shot and killed in Washington, D.C. Elias Rodriguez, 31, has been charged with their murders as well as with a hate crime resulting in death motivated by the "actual and perceived national origin of any person." Staffers Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26, were about to be engaged to be married. Contributing: Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Solomon Peña jailed over gun attacks on Dems' homes in New Mexico
Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Failed New Mexico candidate gets 80 years in shootings at officials' homes
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A failed political candidate was sentenced to 80 years in federal prison Wednesday for his convictions in a series of drive-by shootings at the homes of state and local lawmakers in the aftermath of the 2020 election. A jury convicted former Republican candidate Solomon Peña earlier this year of conspiracy, weapons and other charges in the shootings in December 2022 and January 2023 on the homes of four Democratic officials in Albuquerque, including the current state House speaker. Prosecutors, who had sought a 90-year sentence, said Peña has shown no remorse and had hoped to cause political change by terrorizing people who held contrary views to him into being too afraid to take part in political life. Peña's lawyers had sought a 60-year sentence, saying their client maintains that he is innocent of the charges. They have said Peña was not involved in the shootings and that prosecutors were relying on the testimony of two men who bear responsibility and accepted plea agreements in exchange for leniency. 'Today was a necessary step toward Mr. Peña's continued fight to prove his innocence,' said Nicholas Hart, one of Peña's attorneys. 'He looks forward to the opportunity to appeal, where serious issues about the propriety of this prosecution will be addressed.' The attacks took place as threats and acts of intimidation against election workers and public officials surged across the country after President Donald Trump and his allies called into question the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Prosecutors said Peña resorted to violence in the belief that a 'rigged' election had robbed him of victory in his bid to serve in the state Legislature. The shootings targeted the homes of officials including two county commissioners after their certification of the 2022 election, in which Peña lost by nearly 50 percentage points. No one was injured, but in one case bullets passed through the bedroom of a state senator's 10-year-old daughter. Two other men who had acknowledged helping Peña with the attacks had previously pleaded guilty to federal charges and received yearslong prison sentences.
