ALBUQUERQUE (AP) – United States (US) Prosecutors said a failed GOP candidate accused of orchestrating a series of drive-by shootings at the homes of Democratic-elected officials in New Mexico’s largest city is a danger to the community and should be detained pending trial.
They filed a motion on Wednesday, asking that Solomon Peña be held without bond. He appeared via video shackled for an initial court appearance as a judge explained that he would remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for next month.
Defence attorney Roberta Yurcic said she would request conditions be set so her client can be released as his case proceeds through state district court. But prosecutors argued in the motion that no conditions would ensure the community’s safety.
“The defendant’s actions show what lengths he is willing to go when he is dissatisfied with reality,” the motion stated. “He arranged multiple shootings of multiple homes, and he personally participated in at least one of the shootings. There is no reason to believe that someone so unwilling to accept reality will give any credence to court ordered conditions of release.”
Peña is charged with multiple counts stemming from shootings that started in early December and continued in January.
The charges include shooting at a home, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, conspiracy and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Authorities identified the 39-year-old felon as the key suspect using a combination of mobile phone and vehicle records, bullet casings collected near the officials’ homes and information from a confidential witness.
Peña had posted on social media after the November election that it was “rigged” and he would not concede despite losing his bid for the statehouse in a district that has been held by Democrats for years.
According to a criminal complaint, the political newcomer allegedly paid for four men to shoot at Democratic officials’ homes, including one house where a 10-year-old girl was asleep.
The case of Peña, who had posted photos of himself online with Donald Trump campaign material, is one of dozens across the United States (US) where people have threatened, and in some cases attempted to carry out, violence against members of Congress, school board members and other election officials.
A self-proclaimed ‘MAGA king’, Peña expressed discontent with the election and the certification of the results in a text message sent to one of his alleged co-conspirators in November.
Other messages included the addresses of the officials that were targetted.
A SWAT team arrested Peña on Monday.
