1 year ago
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A failed New Mexico authorities House campaigner visited the homes of section Democratic leaders to vehemently quality his predetermination nonaccomplishment weeks earlier helium allegedly orchestrated a bid of shootings astatine the residences, elected officials said.
Republican Solomon Peña is accused of conspiring with and paying 4 men to transportation out four shootings at Albuquerque-area homes of 2 Bernalillo County commissioners and 2 authorities legislators, Albuquerque constabulary said.
Police announced his apprehension Monday evening. No 1 was wounded successful the shootings.
“Peña came to my location close aft the (November) election. He was benignant of erratic successful the points helium was trying to marque astir the election, and astir however galore doors helium knocked connected and however the fig of votes didn’t match,” Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa said successful a telephone interrogation with NBC News.
Barboa said she called constabulary aft the incident.
“He was astatine my doorway and helium was aggressive. He was an predetermination denier,” said Barboa, who had 8 shots fired astatine her location connected Dec. 4, the archetypal successful the bid of shootings that targeted section and authorities Democrats.
Former County Commissioner Debbie O’Malley shared a akin acquisition with Peña, an avowed protagonist of President Donald Trump and predetermination denier, astir the aforesaid clip aft helium archetypal visited her erstwhile location earlier tracking her down astatine her existent address.
“This feline came to my home. I was precise acrophobic astir it and it was precise unsettling. He was aggravated astir losing the election,” she said. “He felt the predetermination was unfair and untrue.”
While helium did not endanger her during the November encounter, she did telephone authorities and deputies patrolled her location for a fewer days.
But weeks later, her location was struck with 12 bullets connected Dec. 11 portion she and her hubby slept, constabulary person said.
He "could person killed us," O’Malley antecedently told NBC News.
Two handguns were recovered by constabulary successful a Nissan Maxima owned by Peña during a postulation halt connected Jan. 3. One of the guns appeared to person fired shots extracurricular the location of authorities Sen. Linda Lopez astir 40 minutes earlier and 4 miles away, constabulary said successful a statement. A ammunition casing recovered successful the Maxima matched those recovered astatine the country of different shooting, an incidental extracurricular the location of caller authorities House Speaker Javier Martinez connected Dec. 8, constabulary said.
Police said Peña mightiness person been motivated by choler implicit his November loss. Police spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said astatine a quality league aboriginal Monday evening that Peña alleged his decision was the effect of predetermination fraud.
Peña mislaid his authorities House situation to incumbent Democrat Miguel P. Garcia by 5,679 to 2,033, oregon 74% to 26%.
Peña claimed the predetermination was rigged successful a Nov. 16 comment connected his authoritative Twitter account.
"No. It is rigged. Plain and simple," Peña responded to a station of the predetermination results.
Efforts to scope Peña were not palmy Tuesday.
He took his lawsuit to 3 region commissioners and a authorities legislator — immoderate whose homes were targeted successful the shootings — to nary avail, Gallegos said.
“He had complaints astir his predetermination helium felt being rigged,” Gallegos said. “As the politician said, helium was an predetermination denier — helium doesn’t privation to judge the results of his election.”
One of the meetings with section and authorities leaders became heated, helium said.
“One really led to rather an argument, I believe,” Gallegos said. “It was soon aft that the shootings occurred.”
Two different shootings antecedently believed to person been linked to the lawsuit — connected Dec. 10 astatine the erstwhile run bureau of Raúl Torrez, who was elected New Mexico’s lawyer general, and Jan. 5 extracurricular the downtown instrumentality offices of recently appointed authorities Sen. Moe Maestas — haven’t been connected to the suspect, constabulary said Monday.
State records amusement that Monday's apprehension was not Peña's first.
Across 3 cases successful 2007, Peña was convicted of 20 charges, including burglary, receiving stolen spot and larceny. Multiple charges of bribing oregon intimidating a witnesser were dropped by the prosecutor.
Peña besides received a simplification to his condemnation for clip served anterior to trial, which appears to person gotten him down to the 9 twelvemonth people helium said helium served successful a comment connected his verified Twitter account.
Peña was besides ordered to spell done alcohol/substance maltreatment treatment, intelligence wellness counseling, 90 days successful Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous and choler management, tribunal records show.
Due to his conviction, helium mislaid his close to vote. He was lone eligible for the reinstatement of those rights successful 2021 — the twelvemonth helium completed his probation — which means helium apt ne'er formed a ballot for President Trump successful the 2016 and 2020 elections.
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