Solomon Peña, a former Republican candidate in New Mexico, was sentenced to 80 years in federal prison on Wednesday (August 13) for orchestrating a series of drive-by shootings at the homes of Democratic officials in Albuquerque. The attacks occurred in December 2022 and January 2023, following Peña's defeat in a state House race by nearly 50 percentage points. Prosecutors argued that Peña, driven by unfounded election fraud claims, sought to intimidate officials into not certifying the election results.
The shootings targeted the homes of four Democratic officials, including two Bernalillo County commissioners and the current state House speaker. No injuries were reported, but bullets did penetrate a state senator’s home, passing through the bedroom of her 10-year-old daughter.
Peña was convicted on 13 felony charges, including conspiracy, weapons charges, and intimidation.
Peña's lawyers, who sought a five-year sentence, maintain his innocence and plan to appeal the conviction. They argue that the prosecution relied heavily on testimony from two men who have already pleaded guilty and received reduced sentences in exchange for their cooperation.
Despite these claims, the U.S. Attorney for New Mexico, Ryan Ellison, emphasized that "violence and intimidation have no place in our elections."