Justice Department alleges Chicago gang leader offered $10K bounty to kill CBP officer

Federal officers on Monday arrested a suspected Chicago gang leader who allegedly offered to pay $10,000 to anyone who killed a senior Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officer involved in Operation Midway Blitz.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois charged 37-year-old Juan Espinoza Martinez, who is an alleged leader of the Chicago gang Latin Kings, with one count of murder-for-hire. No court date has been set so far.

A criminal complaint that was unveiled Monday alleged that Martinez sent messages on Snapchat that offered $2,000 for information on the unnamed senior immigration officer and $10,000 "if you take him down," Fox News reported. 

The messages also included an alleged photograph of the designated target. The officer appeared to be targeted over a shooting on Saturday in Chicago's Brighton Park, which involved police and Border Patrol officers. The leader allegedly sent gang members to the area to defend Latin Kings territory, a source told law enforcement. 

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the threat is an example of why the Justice Department is focused on curbing gang violence.

"Placing a bounty on the head of a federal officer is an attack on the rule of law and on every American who depends on law enforcement to keep them safe," Blanche said in a statement. "This case is exactly what we mean when we say Take Back America — taking back every neighborhood and street corner from violent thugs and criminal gangs and returning them to the law-abiding members of our communities."

The Trump administration is sending National Guard troops to Chicago to help bring down the city's high crime rates.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.