Border Patrol chief targeted in alleged murder-for-hire plot focused on Snapchat messages
A federal jury is now weighing a case centered on whether a Chicago man’s Snapchat messages amounted to a genuine murder-for-hire plot targeting a senior U.S. Border Patrol official or were simply reckless talk shared online.
The defense rested Wednesday in the federal trial of Juan Espinoza Martinez, 37, who is accused of soliciting the murder of Border Patrol Commander at Large Greg Bovino by offering cash rewards through Snapchat, according to the Associated Press. Espinoza Martinez did not testify.
U.S. District Judge Joan Lefkow sent jurors home for the day and told them to return Thursday morning for closing arguments, after which the case is expected to be handed to the jury, the AP reported.
Prosecutors allege Espinoza Martinez unknowingly sent Snapchat messages to a government informant, offering $2,000 for information on Bovino’s whereabouts and $10,000 "if you take him down." Jurors were shown screenshots of the messages, some of which included a photograph of Bovino, according to testimony cited by the AP.
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Federal prosecutors argued in opening statements that the messages went beyond angry rhetoric or political speech and represented a deliberate attempt to solicit violence against a federal law enforcement official.
"This case is not about someone expressing strong views about immigration enforcement," Assistant U.S. Attorney Minje Shin told jurors, according to the AP. Prosecutors maintain the messages showed intent, not joking or gossip.
Defense attorneys countered that Espinoza Martinez, a carpenter with little money in his bank account, was merely repeating rumors circulating on social media and in his neighborhood. His attorneys argued the messages amounted to "neighborhood gossip," not a real plan to harm anyone, the AP reported.
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The government’s first witness was Adrian Jimenez, a construction company owner who had communicated with Espinoza Martinez about work and later turned over the Snapchat messages to authorities. Jimenez testified that he took the messages seriously and contacted a Homeland Security investigator he knew, according to the AP.
Jimenez acknowledged under questioning that he had a prior felony conviction, had served prison time and had previously been paid as a government informant, though he did not provide details, the AP reported. Defense attorneys questioned whether Jimenez truly believed the messages were a solicitation for murder.
"You’re not somebody that commits murder for hire, right?" defense attorney Dena Singer asked Jimenez.
"Nope," Jimenez replied.
Espinoza Martinez’s younger brother, Oscar Espinoza Martinez, also testified for the defense, saying he saw a Facebook post about a rumored bounty before receiving the Snapchat messages and took them as a joke. "Nobody’s going to do that for $10K," he testified, according to the AP.
The case stems from an investigation launched in October, when ICE Homeland Security Investigations received information from a confidential source indicating a hit had been placed on Bovino. Espinoza Martinez was arrested on Oct. 6 in Burr Ridge, Illinois.
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Following the arrest, the Department of Homeland Security issued statements condemning the alleged plot.
"The arrest of this ruthless and violent member of the Latin Kings, a criminal organization notorious for its cruelty and disregard for the law, highlights the steadfast commitment of Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners to protect our communities and those who uphold justice," Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Chicago, said in the October release.
"Targeting a senior federal officer is a brazen and direct assault on the rule of law, and HSI will remain persistent in dismantling violent gangs like the Latin Kings that threaten public safety," Scarpino added.
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DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin also addressed the case following the arrest.
"Depraved individuals like Juan Espinoza Martinez — who do not value human life and threaten law enforcement — do NOT belong in this country," McLaughlin said. "We will not allow criminal gangs to put hits on U.S. government officials and our law enforcement officers. Thanks to ICE and our federal law enforcement partners, this thug is off our streets and behind bars."
"These attacks on our brave law enforcement officers must END," McLaughlin added. "Secretary Noem has been crystal clear: If you threaten or lay a hand on law enforcement, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
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The Department of Justice is prosecuting Espinoza Martinez on one count of murder-for-hire. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison, according to the AP.
Bovino did not testify at the trial. Closing arguments are scheduled for Thursday, after which the jury will begin deliberations.
Espinoza Martinez, who was born in Mexico, has lived in the United States for decades and does not have legal permission to remain in the country, according to federal authorities. In recorded interviews played for jurors, he denied threatening anyone or being a gang member and said he worked daily as a union laborer, the AP reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.