âť“WHAT HAPPENED: A Chicago man is on trial for allegedly offering a bounty to kill Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino. Prosecutors argue it was a murder-for-hire plot, while the defense claims the defendant merely shared a social media post.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Gregory Bovino, defendant Juan Espinoza Martinez, and federal prosecutors.
đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: The trial took place in Chicago, Illinois, with the jury beginning deliberations on Thursday.
💬KEY QUOTE: Messages included statements that “offered $2,000 for information on [Bovino’s] whereabouts and $10,000 if you take him down.”
🎯IMPACT: The trial is a test for the Justice Department, which has struggled with similar prosecutions.
A federal jury in Chicago, Illinois, is weighing the case of Juan Espinoza Martinez, who is charged with offering a bounty for the killing of Gregory Bovino, a senior tactical commander with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Prosecutors allege that Espinoza Martinez sent a series of Snapchat messages in October that amounted to a solicitation for murder.
According to testimony, the messages included statements that “offered $2,000 for information on [Bovino’s] whereabouts and $10,000 if you take him down,” along with an image of the Border Patrol commander. The government argues the messages were intentional and aimed at inciting violence against a federal official.
Defense attorneys counter that the messages were not original threats but forwarded social media posts reflecting anger over immigration raids. Defense lawyer Jonathan Bedi told jurors that “repeating neighborhood gossip is not a crime,” arguing there was no proof his client intended real-world harm. Espinoza Martinez’s brother testified that the messages were expressions of outrage circulating online after enforcement operations in Chicago and were not meant as an actual call to violence.
Bovino has been a visible figure in immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. Federal officials have warned in recent years that criminal organizations and extremist activists have circulated bounties and threats against ICE and Border Patrol agents, including senior commanders. Bovino himself has been targeted during protests, and video has circulated showing an agitator attempting to confront and attack him during a tense standoff involving federal agents.
Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail
