The Department of Homeland Security announced the arrest of an alleged gang leader in Chicago on Monday, who is accused of issuing a $10,000 bounty on CBP Chief Gregory Bovino.
Federal U.S. law enforcement officials are concerned with the threat of increased violence directed towards immigration & customs personnel amid the Trump administration’s nationwide crackdown on undocumented migrants.
The suspect, Juan Espinoza Martinez, an alleged gang leader of the area’s Latin Kings gang, allegedly posted on Snapchat, appearing to offer $2,000 “for info”; “cuando lo agarren,” which translates to “when they catch him”; including a $10,000 reward “if you take him down”, followed by the initials “LK” (Latin Kings) and emoji gangs signs that are affiliated with the street gang.
Law enforcement was tipped off by a “confidential informant” on October 3 that a “hit” had been placed on Chief Bovino, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
U.S. Immigration & Customs (ICE) & Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) were able to identify and locate the suspect and take him into custody on October 6 in Burr Ridge, Illinois, without incident.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, “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.”
DHS also revealed that Martinez, a Mexican national, had been residing in the country illegally and had entered the U.S. at an unknown date and an unknown location.
