CHICAGO (NewsNation) — A man accused of putting a hit out on Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino is appearing in a federal courtroom in Illinois on Wednesday.
Lawyers for both sides will argue over whether Juan Espinoza Martinez, an alleged high-ranking member of the Latin Kings street gang, should be released ahead of his trial scheduled for January 2026.
During the last hearing, the defense requested a speedy trial, arguing Martinez never put out a hit on Bovino and he’s not a member of the Latin Kings gang.
In a pretrial motion for release, Martinez’s defense team argued that he’s an upstanding citizen, is fully employed and has no criminal history.
They also said Martinez has lived in Chicago for 30 years and is deeply embedded in his community, writing, “The government would have this court focus on an allegation, but allegations are not evidence and certainly not proof. What is proven is three decades of living in this district without incident, without arrest, without giving anyone cause to believe he poses any danger to this community.”
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Chicago, Martinez sent a Snapchat message stating, “2K on information when you get him” and “10K if you take him down.”
The criminal complaint against Espinoza Martinez alleges he is in a position of authority within the gang and has the power to order its members to kill.
The most recent indictment, handed down last month, does not mention the Latin Kings, suggesting federal prosecutors may be distancing themselves from that argument.
The Latin Kings gang has been operating for at least 70 years in the U.S., and hundreds of its members have been convicted of murder, drug trafficking and racketeering.