Additional Coverage:
- Border Patrol chief targeted in alleged murder-for-hire plot focused on Snapchat messages (foxnews.com)
Jury to Deliberate in Alleged Snapchat Murder-for-Hire Plot Targeting Border Patrol Official
CHICAGO – A federal jury is set to begin deliberations Thursday in the case of a Chicago man accused of soliciting the murder of a senior U.S. Border Patrol official via Snapchat messages. The central question facing jurors is whether Juan Espinoza Martinez’s online communications constituted a genuine murder-for-hire plot or merely reckless, unsubstantiated talk.
The defense concluded its arguments Wednesday in the federal trial of Espinoza Martinez, 37, who stands accused of offering cash rewards through Snapchat for information on and the “takedown” of Border Patrol Commander at Large Greg Bovino. Espinoza Martinez did not take the stand in his own defense.
U.S. District Judge Joan Lefkow dismissed jurors for the day, instructing them to return Thursday morning for closing arguments before the case is handed over for deliberation.
Prosecutors contend that Espinoza Martinez unknowingly sent the incriminating Snapchat messages to a government informant. These messages allegedly offered $2,000 for details on Bovino’s whereabouts and a more substantial $10,000 “if you take him down.” Jurors were presented with screenshots of these messages, some of which reportedly included a photograph of Commander Bovino.
In their opening statements, federal prosecutors asserted that these messages transcended mere angry rhetoric or political discourse, representing 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 reportedly told jurors, emphasizing that the messages demonstrated clear intent, not a joke or casual conversation.
Conversely, defense attorneys argued that Espinoza Martinez, a carpenter with limited financial resources, was merely echoing rumors he encountered on social media and within his neighborhood. His legal team characterized the messages as “neighborhood gossip,” not a concrete plan to inflict harm.
The government’s first witness, Adrian Jimenez, a construction company owner who had previously communicated with Espinoza Martinez about work, testified that he took the Snapchat messages seriously and subsequently reported them to a Homeland Security investigator he knew. Under cross-examination, Jimenez acknowledged a prior felony conviction, time served in prison, and past employment as a government informant, though specific details were not disclosed. Defense attorneys questioned the sincerity of Jimenez’s belief that the messages were a genuine solicitation for murder.
“You’re not somebody that commits murder for hire, right?” defense attorney Dena Singer asked Jimenez, to which he replied, “Nope.”
Oscar Espinoza Martinez, the defendant’s younger brother, testified for the defense, stating he had seen a Facebook post about a rumored bounty before receiving the Snapchat messages and considered them a joke. “Nobody’s going to do that for $10K,” he reportedly testified.
The investigation originated in October when ICE Homeland Security Investigations received information from a confidential source about an alleged “hit” on Bovino. Espinoza Martinez was subsequently arrested on October 6 in Burr Ridge, Illinois.
Following the arrest, the Department of Homeland Security issued strong condemnations of the alleged plot. Matthew Scarpino, special agent in charge of HSI Chicago, stated in an October release, “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.” He added, “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.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin also weighed in after the arrest, declaring, “Depraved individuals like Juan Espinoza Martinez – who do not value human life and threaten law enforcement – do NOT belong in this country. 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.” McLaughlin further emphasized, “These attacks on our brave law enforcement officers must END.
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.”
The Department of Justice is prosecuting Espinoza Martinez on one count of murder for hire, a charge that carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison upon conviction.
Commander Bovino did not testify during the trial.
Espinoza Martinez, a Mexican national, has resided in the United States for decades without legal permission, according to federal authorities. In recorded interviews played for jurors, he denied threatening anyone or being a gang member, stating he worked daily as a union laborer.