First on CNN: New Mexico AG probing campaign finances of GOP candidate accused of orchestrating shootings

New Mexico Chief Law Officer Raúl Torrez’ workplace is taking the lead in penetrating the project financial resources of Solomon Peña, who cops state lagged a wave of shootings at Democratic authorities’ houses.

The relocation follows Albuquerque cops stated they were examining whether Peña’s project was moneyed in part by money from narcotics sales that were washed into project contributions.

” We have actually officially opened an examination into the project financial resources,” Lauren Rodriguez, a representative for the chief law officer’s workplace, informed CNN.

Peña, a Republican and singing fan of previous President Donald Trump who lost a state Home race in 2022, is implicated of working with and conspiring with 4 guys to contend the houses of 2 state lawmakers and 2 county commissioners.

He was apprehended Monday and is because of appear in district court on January 23 for a hearing that will figure out whether he is apprehended or launched with conditions.

The Albuquerque Cops Department stated in a declaration that detectives think Peña “recognized people to funnel contributions from an unidentified source to his legal project.”.

” Investigators are dealing with other police to figure out whether the cash for the project contributions was produced from narcotics trafficking, and whether project laws were breached,” the department stated in the declaration.

Project financing records reveal the single biggest factor to Peña’s project was José Trujillo, a male who cops state Peña hired to be part of the group of shooters.

Cops state Trujillo, who contributed $5,155 to Peña’s stopped working project and noted his profession as “cashier,” was apprehended on January 3– the night of the last of 4 shootings– on an impressive felony warrant.

A Bernalillo County constable’s deputy discovered Trujillo with more than $3,000 in money, almost 900 narcotics tablets worth approximately $15,000 and 2 weapons, among which was ballistically matched to that day’s shooting, cops stated. He was stopped driving Peña’s cars and truck, stated a police authorities who spoke on the condition of privacy due to the fact that the examination is continuous.

Albuquerque detectives are concentrated on Trujillo’s big project contributions and whether they may have originated from drug cash, due to the fact that detectives state Trujillo has no recognized genuine income source and was apprehended with drugs and cash, the police authorities stated. In an attack case in which Trujillo was the victim last fall, cops records state Trujillo informed cops he was in between houses at the time.

” You have actually a thought shooter who declares to be homeless with $3,000 dollars in money and a bag of drugs making huge contributions to a project. You need to ask yourself where that cash is originating from,” stated the police authorities who spoke on the condition of privacy.

Trujillo’s mom, Melanie Griego, contributed $4,000, according to project financing records. However Griego staunchly rejected making any project contributions in an interview with the Albuquerque Journal, informing the paper she resides on a “regular monthly earnings” and does not have countless dollars to purchase a political project.

CNN connected to Peña’s and Trujillo’s lawyer however did not right away get a reaction.

A criminal grievance in the lawsuit versus Peña states that Trujillo, his dad Demetrio and his 2 bros conspired with the stopped working Republican prospect to soar the houses of 4 political leaders. The 4 have actually not been charged, however service charges are anticipated in the event.

A police source stated Peña satisfied members of the shooting group he apparently hired when he remained in jail serving time for his function in a smash-and-grab group that concentrated on taking automobiles and driving them through the windows of huge box shops to take high-end electronic devices.

Peña needed to get state court approval to run for workplace as a founded guilty felon. The state court concluded that under present New Mexico law, Peña was qualified to run due to the fact that he had actually served his sentence and finished his parole.

Gunshots were fired into the houses of Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa on December 4; inbound state Home Speaker Javier Martinez on December 8; then-Bernalillo Commissioner Debbie O’Malley on December 11; and state Sen. Linda Lopez on January 3, according to cops.

Peña lost his race to Democratic state Rep. Miguel Garcia 26% to 74%. A week later on, he tweeted he “never ever yielded” the race and was investigating his choices.

Barboa stated, after November’s election however prior to the shootings, that Peña– who had actually welcomed Trump’s claims of prevalent election scams on social networks– had actually approached some authorities at their houses with documentation he declared was proof of election scams.

” He pertained to my home after the election. … He was stating that the elections were phony … actually speaking unpredictably. I didn’t feel threatened at the time, however I did seem like he was unpredictable,” Barboa informed “CNN Today” on Tuesday.

CNN has actually connected to Peña’s project site for remark. On Wednesday, his lawyer, Roberta Yurcic, stated in an e-mail that the claims versus him are “simply allegations.”.

” Mr. Peña is presumed innocent of the charges versus him,” Yurcic stated. “Mr. Peña and I anticipate a complete and reasonable examination of these claims. I prepare to totally safeguard Mr. Peña and increasingly protect his rights throughout this procedure.”.