According to the Northern District U.S. Attorney's Office, 37-year-old Juan Espinosa-Martinez, a Latin Kings gang member, offered a bounty on U.S. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino: $10,000 for the murder and $2,000 dollars for information.
The I-Team was in federal court Tuesday as Juan Espinosa-Martinez made his first appearance after he was arrested Monday in Burr Ridge by a cadre of federal law enforcement including DEA, FBI, ATF, Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations officers.
Espinosa-Martinez, who goes by the street name "Monkey," is accused of offering a bounty to members of the Chicago Latin Kings street gang to kill Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino, according to the complaint.
Bovino has been front-and-center in multiple Chicago immigration enforcement operations over the last several weeks of operation "Midway Blitz."
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"A street gang is a formidable organization. We know that. We know how much mayhem they can cause, but they're really no match for the power of the federal government. If there's evidence against them, it's taking an awfully big risk," said ABC7 Chief Legal Analyst Gil Soffer.
Homeland Security Investigations-Chicago says it received a screenshot of a Snapchat conversation seen here from a confidential source with a photo of Bovino and the bounties for murder and information with the letters "LK" appearing to link the message to the Latin Kings street gang in the city.
Soffer said for federal prosecutors to win this case, they have to prove the facts and intent of those messages.
"The complaint alleges that he was a member, not only a member, of the Latin Kings, but that he was directing the solicitation to other members of the Latin Kings," he said.
According to the filing, after Customs and Border Protection officers opened fire on a woman over the weekend, Espinosa Martinez also instructed members of the Latin Kings gang to bring guns and deploy gang members in response.
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"You got gang members that are doing drive-bys on the weekends for free. So, offer $10,000 and you might actually get one of these knuckleheads that would take them up on it," said retired Chicago Police Lieutenant John Garrido, who spent three decades with the Chicago Police Department.
He said, when it comes to the feds, Chicago street gangs don't know what they're up against adding, "He's in for a rude awakening. And, that should send a message to, you know, all these other gang members you're dealing with a different type of law enforcement now. The rules of engagement are different, the penalties are different, the laws, the federal laws, are a lot tougher than our local laws are, and you're actually going to do some time if you're convicted."
Espinosa-Martinez is facing 10 years in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors said in court he is originally from Mexico and in the country illegally, entering at an unknown date and time. He's being held in federal custody until at least Friday when he will have a bond hearing.
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