Skip to content
NOWCAST KOAT Action 7 News at 10pm
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

The criminal history of Solomon Peña

Solomon Peña was arrested on Monday, Jan. 17, in connection with four shootings at the homes of political figures in New Mexico. This isn't his first run-in with law enforcement.

The criminal history of Solomon Peña

Solomon Peña was arrested on Monday, Jan. 17, in connection with four shootings at the homes of political figures in New Mexico. This isn't his first run-in with law enforcement.

BECAUSE OF HIS CRIMINAL RECORD. WELL, THOSE CLAIMS OF VOTER FRAUD MAKING THEIR WAY INTO PENA’S TWITTER, AS WELL AS THOSE WITH US IN STUDIO, AN ANGEL, SOME OF HIS SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT EVEN REFERENCES THE SHOOTINGS. POLICE SAY HE’S CONNECTED WITH. THAT’S EXACTLY RIGHT. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS TWEET THAT SOLOMON PENA LIKED ON JANUARY 10TH. IT READS, I KEEP THINKING THE POLITICAL HOME SHOOTINGS AND THEM NOT RELEASING THE NAME OF THE SUSPECT, THE PERSON IN CUSTODY IS STAGED. IS IT A COINCIDENCE THAT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS AROUND THE CORNER? NOW, TAKE A LOOK AT THESE. THESE ARE TWEETS PENYA HIMSELF MADE SHORTLY BEFORE AND THEN AFTER ELECTION DAY ON NOVEMBER SEVENTH. HE ACCUSES HIS OPPONENT OF RIGGING THE ELECTION. ON THE NINTH, HE TWEETS, I DISSENT. I AM THE MAGA KING. AND FINALLY, ON NOVEMBER 15TH, HE TWEETS THAT HE NEVER CONCEDED THE RACE AGAINST REPRESENTATIVE GARCIA. THIS ALSO IS IMPENDING HIS FIRST RUNNING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IN 28. HE WAS CONVICTED OF A FELONY IN A SMASH AND GRAB SCHEME. HE SERVED NEARLY SEVEN YEARS IN PRISON. I HAD NOTHING MORE THAN A DESIRE TO IMPROVE MY LOT IN LIFE. THIS WAS AN INTERVIEW WE HAD WITH SOLOMON PENA LAST YEAR, JUST MONTHS BEFORE THE ELECTION. HIS CANDIDACY FOR NEW MEXICO’S 14TH HOUSE DISTRICT WAS CALLED INTO QUESTION. CANNOT HOLD PUBLIC OFFICE UNLESS YOU’VE BEEN PART OF REPRESENTATIVE MIGUEL GARCIA AND HIS LAWYERS FILED THIS LAWSUIT ALLEGING THAT PENA SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE BALLOT BECAUSE OF HIS FELONY CONVICTION. WELL, SEPTEMBER 14TH DISTRICT COURT RULED THAT PENA COULD REMAIN ON THE BALLOT. IT’S THE INTERPRETATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. AND TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, CONVICTED FELONS, EVEN IF YOU CAN’T GO ON A CAST, A VOTE ON ELECTION DAY, YOU CAN STILL PUT YOUR NAME ON THE BALLOT. KOAT LEGAL EXPERT JOHN DAY SAYS THE JUDGE DECIDES THAT BECAUSE PENA COULD RESTORE HIS RIGHT TO VOTE, THAT HE WAS ELIGIBLE FOR ELECTIONS. THE JUDGE IN THIS CASE OBVIOUSLY DIDN’T FORESEE THAT THE GUY HE ALLOWED TO RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE WAS GOING TO SHOOT AT PEOPLE WHO WERE RUNNING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE. REPRESENTATIVE GARCIA WOULD GO ON TO APPEAL THE DECISION MADE BY DISTRICT COURT. BUT BEFORE A DECISION COULD BE MADE ON THE APPEAL, THE ELECTION HAD ALREADY TAKEN PLACE AND PENA
Advertisement
The criminal history of Solomon Peña

Solomon Peña was arrested on Monday, Jan. 17, in connection with four shootings at the homes of political figures in New Mexico. This isn't his first run-in with law enforcement.

Solomon Peña was arrested on Monday, Jan. 17, in connection with four shootings at the homes of political figures in New Mexico. This isn't his first run-in with law enforcement.In 2008, Peña was convicted of a felony in a smash-and-grab scheme. He served around seven years in prison.KOAT spoke with Peña last year just months before the election when his candidacy for New Mexico's 14th house district was called into question.When talking about his past convictions, Peña said, "I have nothing more than a desire to improve my lot in life."Related video above: Judge allows ex-felon to stay on ballotRep. Miguel Garcia and his lawyers filed this lawsuit alleging that Peña should be removed from the ballot because of his felony conviction.On Sept. 14, District Court ruled that Peña could remain on the ballot.KOAT legal expert John Day said, "It was the judge's interpretation of the Constitution to say, even if convicted felons can't cast a vote on election day, they can still put their names on a ballot." Day says the judge decided that because Peña could restore his right to vote with a governor's pardon, he was eligible for election."The judge in this case didn't foresee that the guy he allowed to run for public office was going to be charged with trying to shoot at people who are running for office," Day said.Garcia would go on to appeal the decision made by district court, but before a decision could be made on the appeal, the election had already taken place, and Peña had lost.

Solomon Peña was arrested on Monday, Jan. 17, in connection with four shootings at the homes of political figures in New Mexico. This isn't his first run-in with law enforcement.

In 2008, Peña was convicted of a felony in a smash-and-grab scheme. He served around seven years in prison.

Advertisement

KOAT spoke with Peña last year just months before the election when his candidacy for New Mexico's 14th house district was called into question.

When talking about his past convictions, Peña said, "I have nothing more than a desire to improve my lot in life."

Related video above: Judge allows ex-felon to stay on ballot

Rep. Miguel Garcia and his lawyers filed this lawsuit alleging that Peña should be removed from the ballot because of his felony conviction.

On Sept. 14, District Court ruled that Peña could remain on the ballot.

KOAT legal expert John Day said, "It was the judge's interpretation of the Constitution to say, even if convicted felons can't cast a vote on election day, they can still put their names on a ballot."

Day says the judge decided that because Peña could restore his right to vote with a governor's pardon, he was eligible for election.

"The judge in this case didn't foresee that the guy he allowed to run for public office was going to be charged with trying to shoot at people who are running for office," Day said.

Garcia would go on to appeal the decision made by district court, but before a decision could be made on the appeal, the election had already taken place, and Peña had lost.