Unsealed Criminal Complaint Shows Feds Arrest Chicago Gang Leader In Murder For Hire Plot
A suspected gang leader has been arrested in Chicago for allegedly placing a bounty on the head of a senior U.S. Border Patrol officer, in what federal authorities are calling a direct threat to national security and…
A suspected gang leader has been arrested in Chicago for allegedly placing a bounty on the head of a senior U.S. Border Patrol officer, in what federal authorities are calling a direct threat to national security and law enforcement.
Juan Espinoza Martinez, a 37-year-old believed to be a ranking member of the Latin Kings street gang, was taken into custody Monday morning by federal agents. The arrest comes amid ongoing immigration enforcement efforts under “Operation Midway Blitz”, a federal crackdown on illegal immigration and gang activity across several major U.S. cities.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois unsealed a criminal complaint Monday charging Martinez with murder for hire, a serious federal offense that could carry life in prison if convicted.
Authorities say Martinez, a Mexican national who entered the U.S. illegally, used social media to communicate his plans, allegedly offering $10,000 for anyone who could “take down” the officer, identified in the complaint as Commander at Large Gregory Bovino, a senior official with the U.S. Border Patrol.
According to the complaint, Martinez used Snapchat to send out disturbing messages, including one that read:
“2k on information when you get him”
And another that followed with:
“10k if you take him down.”
Investigators traced the messages to an account tied to Martinez, using the screen name “monkeys—” and the name “Juan.” Along with the messages, the sender allegedly included a photo of Chief Bovino, who was working in Chicago as part of the federal government’s stepped-up immigration enforcement.
Officials say the situation escalated after a police-involved shooting on October 4 in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood. The shooting involved Border Patrol agents and a woman named Marimar Martinez (no relation confirmed), who was shot and wounded after allegedly ramming a federal vehicle. Prosecutors say that in the aftermath, Juan Martinez directed Latin Kings members to mobilize in that same area, ordering them to arm themselves and “defend” gang territory.