DHS: Illegal 'Thug' Arrested for $10K Hit on US Border Patrol Chief

A violent Latin Kings gang member and illegal alien has been arrested after placing a $10,000 bounty on the head of a top U.S. Border Patrol official, the Department of Homeland Security announced.

Federal agents on Monday arrested Juan Espinoza Martinez in Burr Ridge, Illinois.

DHS said the Mexican national attempted to orchestrate the murder of Chief Gregory Bovino, commander at large of the Border Patrol, through social media.

According to investigators, a confidential source alerted authorities on Oct. 3 that Espinoza Martinez used Snapchat to solicit a hit on Bovino.

Screenshots show a chilling offer: a $2,000 bounty for "cuando lo agarren" — which translates to "when they catch him" — and $10,000 "if you take him down."

Another response in the chat included the phrase "LK ... on him" — a reference to the notorious Latin Kings street gang.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago tracked Espinoza Martinez and moved quickly to arrest him before the plot could advance.

He now faces federal charges for soliciting the murder of a senior law enforcement officer.

"This thug is off our streets and behind bars," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

"We will not allow criminal gangs to put hits on U.S. government officials," she added.

"Secretary [Kristi] Noem has been crystal clear: If you threaten or lay a hand on law enforcement, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

Officials confirmed Espinoza Martinez entered the U.S. illegally at an unknown date and time.

His criminal ties, combined with the gang assassination plot, underscore the ongoing threat posed by illegal alien gang members across the country.

Bovino, a veteran of the Border Patrol, has overseen major operations against human smuggling, cartel activity, and border violence.

DHS stressed that threats against top officials highlight the stakes in the fight to secure America's borders.

The Department of Justice is prosecuting Espinoza Martinez.

If convicted, he faces a lengthy federal prison sentence.

"Depraved individuals like Juan Espinoza Martinez — who do not value human life and threaten law enforcement — do NOT belong in this country," McLaughlin said. "These attacks must END."