Gunman says Republican who lost election paid for drive-by shootings on Democrats’ homes

A New Mexico man recently pleaded guilty to committing several drive-by shootings, saying he was allegedly paid to do so by a failed Republican candidate in a state legislative election.

According to the Department of Justice, 42-year-old Demetrio Trujillo recently pleaded guilty to five different federal charges including conspiracy, election interference and illegal use of a firearm in the wake of the 2022 election for New Mexico's 14th House District. Trujillo stated that failed Republican state legislative candidate Solomon Peña commissioned him to carry out multiple drive-by shootings at the homes of several Democrats in Albuquerque as a means of intimidating them in the aftermath of the election, which Peña claimed was "rigged" against him despite losing by roughly 50 points.

"Trump just announced for 2024. I stand with him," Peña wrote in his last post to X/Twitter. "I never conceded my HD 14 race. Now researching my options."

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Prior to his alleged targeting of them for the shootings, Peña said he approached the four Democrats on the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners in an attempt to push them to overturn election results. When that failed, he allegedly escalated the pressure campaign to include shooting at their homes. The DOJ stated that Peña directly participated in one of those shootings.

"On Dec. 4, 2022, Peña paid Trujillo to shoot a firearm at the private residence of a former candidate for elective office that Peña had chosen as a target for intimidation. On Dec. 8, 2022, Peña paid Trujillo to shoot a firearm at the private residence of another former candidate for elective office to intimidate the target from campaigning as a candidate," the DOJ's press release read. "On Jan. 3, 2023, Peña and Trujillo drove to the residence of a third individual who Peña had targeted because they were a former candidate for elective office and carried out a shooting to intimate the target from campaigning."

Trujillo has not yet been sentenced, but could face up to life in prison plus five years of supervised release. The DOJ stated he may also be liable to pay fines of up to $1 million.

Solomon Peña is scheduled to stand trial for his role in the alleged plot in June of this year.

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