Jury selected for trial of Chicago man accused of putting hit on CBP Chief Greg Bovino

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The trial of a Chicago man accused of offering a bounty for the murder of Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino began Tuesday at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse.

A jury of eight men and six women was selected.

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Juan Espinoza-Martinez, 37, is accused of putting a hit on Bovino. He was arrested in October, when federal immigration operations were in full swing in the area.

The trial is taking place as Bovino has been front and center of "Operation Midway Blitz."

The Department of Homeland Security says it received a screenshot of a Snapchat conversation from a source with a picture of Bovino and the bounty information, written in English and Spanish.

Prosecutors say Espinoza-Martinez, a Mexican national, offered a bounty of $10,000 for the murder of Bovino and $2,000 for information.

DHS says the letters "LK" were mentioned in the message, which they linked to the Latin Kings gang in Chicago.

Last week, a federal judge ruled prosecutors cannot present evidence claiming that Espinoza-Martinez is a gang member.

So that cannot be brought up during the trial.

DHS officials have been using this case as an example of the threats immigration officials are facing while carrying out operations.

Espinoza-Martinez is charged with soliciting the murder of a senior law enforcement official.

Attorneys for Espinoza-Martinez have denied that he was ever a gang member or took part in a murder-for-hire plot.

The criminal complaint filed against Espinoza-Martinez alleges he is a high-ranking member of the Latin Kings, someone capable of ordering people killed.

The case a big test for the U.S. Attorney's Office. It's the first criminal case related to "Midway Blitz" to reach trial.

The U.S. Attorney's Office has so far seen charges dropped against 14 of its 31 non-immigration-related cases stemming from "Midway Blitz," with judges increasingly skeptical of information brought forth by the government.

If convicted, Espinoza-Martinez faces up to 10 years in prison.

While the trial does involve an alleged hit against Bovino, the Border Patrol commander is not required to be in Chicago. The trial itself is expected to last a few days.

Opening statements will take place Wednesday morning.