ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The man accused of masterminding several shootings at elected officials homes in Albuquerque, Solomon Peña will be held in jail while awaiting trial. Peña was arrested one week ago after police say he paid four other people to shoot at the homes of four Democratic lawmakers.
In a hearing Monday, prosecutors pushed for Peña to be held behind bars until trial, arguing the evidence of the case and Peña’s prior criminal history indicate there are no conditions of release that would ensure the community’s safety. “Shortly after his release from conditions of probation, he’s working with other people to commit these violent acts toward elected officials,” said Natalie Lyon, a deputy district attorney for the Bernalillo County DA’s Office.
Peña’s defense in part argued that he has no history of violent crimes, crimes with firearms or crimes with drugs. “For seven of those years your honor, [Peña] was out in the community and had no contact with the criminal justice system,” Peña’s attorney Roberta Yurcic argued.
Ultimately, Bernalillo County District Court Judge David Murphy decided that Peña will stay in jail through trial, in part, citing the nature of the accusations in the case. Peña is facing 15 charges in the case that’s received national attention.
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Raw Video: Judge’s full decision to keep Solomon Peña in jail through trial
Investigators with Albuquerque Police accuse Peña of paying four people $500 to shoot at the homes of four Albuquerque Democrats. The shootings happened across multiple days in December and January, targeting the homes of two Bernalillo County Commissioners and two state legislators.
