A grand jury in New Mexico indicted former state Republican candidate Solomon Peña on 14 criminal charges related to shootings at the offices and homes of elected Democratic officials, the Bernalillo County District Attorney's office announced Monday.
Driving the news: Albuquerque police arrested Peña on Jan. 16 and he's in jail ahead of a trial after being accused of conspiring with and paying four other men to shoot at the homes of two county commissioners and two state legislators, per CNN.
Zoom in: The jury indicted him on charges including three counts of criminal solicitation to commit a shooting at a dwelling or occupied building and two of conspiracy to commit a shooting at a dwelling or occupied building, according to a statement from the district attorney's office.
- Other charges include one count of shooting at a dwelling or occupied building and two of transportation or possession of a firearm or destructive device.
The big picture: Peña unsuccessfully ran as a candidate for the House District 14 seat in the South Valley in the last state elections.
What they're saying: Representatives for Peña could not be immediately reached for comment, but his attorney Roberta Yurcic told CBS News this month they looked forward to "a full and fair investigation of these claims."
- "At this point, the charges against Mr. Peña are merely accusations that have not yet been tested by the full rigor of the judicial process. Mr. Peña is presumed innocent of the charges against him," Yurcic said.
- "I plan to fully defend Mr. Peña and fiercely safeguard his rights throughout this process."
