The Department of Homeland Security announced the arrest of Juan Espinoza Martinez, an alleged member of the Latin Kings, after a confidential tip on October 3, 2025, indicated a bounty had been placed on U.S. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino. ICE Homeland Security Investigations took Martinez into custody on October 6 in Burr Ridge, Illinois.
HSI said investigators obtained a screenshot of a Snapchat exchange in which a user named “Juan” discussed payments tied to capturing or killing the official, and another message referenced Latin Kings involvement. The Justice Department has charged Martinez with soliciting the murder of a senior federal law-enforcement official.
DHS officials emphasized the seriousness of threats against federal personnel. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned the alleged solicitation and praised ICE and law-enforcement partners for the arrest, saying those who threaten officers will be prosecuted. Statements stressed protection of public servants and the need for rigorous enforcement.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said federal officers have been targeted by gangs, cartels, and foreign terrorist organizations, describing the bounties as an “unprecedented” threat. She recounted a separate Chicago incident in which agents were attacked, shots were fired, and an assailant was hospitalized; she said intelligence indicated organized threats against officers.
Noem warned that some bounties included payments for kidnapping or killing federal agents, that images had been circulated, and that attackers sought to disrupt operations that interfere with criminal networks’ profits. She framed the issue as organized criminal retaliation rather than protected protest activity.
Authorities continue to investigate Martinez and related threats while urging the public to report information. The arrest underscores growing concern within DHS about targeted violence against officials and the role of transnational criminal groups in coordinating or encouraging attacks on law-enforcement personnel.
