GOP candidate accused of orchestrating shootings to be held without bond
Cami Mondeaux
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The New Mexico Republican candidate accused of orchestrating shootings at Democratic lawmakers’ homes after his loss in the midterm elections will continue to be held in prison without bond ahead of his pending criminal trial, a state judge ruled.
Solomon Pena, 39, appeared in court around 11 a.m. local time for a detention hearing on Monday as the failed GOP candidate faces several criminal charges related to a spate of shootings at state Democratic lawmakers’ homes over the last two months. Prosecutors sought to detain Pena pending his trial, arguing he remains a threat to the community and that all he needs to be dangerous is a phone.
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During the detention hearing on Monday, prosecutors also argued that Pena was allegedly dissatisfied with how the bullets were fired “too high” and too late at night, according to CBS News correspondent Scott MacFarlane.
The ruling comes one week after Pena was arrested in connection to a slew of shootings at four Democratic officials’ homes in New Mexico in December and January. Gunshots flew into the homes of Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa on Dec. 4, state House Speaker Javier Martinez on Dec. 8, then-Bernalillo Commissioner Debbie O’Malley on Dec. 11, and state Sen. Linda Lopez on Jan. 3, according to police records.
Authorities are investigating whether Pena was motivated to carry out the shootings after losing his elections challenge to incumbent state Rep. Miguel Garcia, noting the GOP candidate had repeatedly blamed election fraud for his defeat.
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Meanwhile, Albuquerque police are also investigating whether Pena accepted campaign donations that were funded in part by narcotics sales, according to CNN. Campaign finance records show that Pena’s largest single contributor was a man named Jose Trujillo, who donated $5,155 to the GOP candidate’s campaign in 2022, the outlet reported.
A criminal complaint states that Trujillo participated in Pena’s orchestration of shootings at several Democrats’ homes earlier this month, along with Trujillo’s father and two brothers.