The order was chilling: pay cash to take down a top U.S. border official. Federal investigators say a Latin Kings gang member living in the U.S. illegally allegedly placed a bounty on Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino, believing encrypted Snapchat messages would keep the plot hidden.

Authorities say the threat surfaced on October 3, 2025, when a confidential source alerted investigators. Homeland Security Investigations quickly traced the messages to Juan Espinoza Martinez in Burr Ridge, Illinois, and moved to neutralize the danger.

Screenshots recovered by agents allegedly showed Martinez offering $2,000 to track Bovino and up to $10,000 “if you take him down.” The messages included the tag “LK…on him,” which investigators say signaled Latin Kings involvement.

Officials stress this was not reckless online talk. They believe the messages reflected a real solicitation to murder a senior federal law enforcement leader, elevating the case to one of the most serious threats against border officials in recent years.

Martinez now faces federal charges related to soliciting the murder of a government official. Prosecutors argue the use of social media does not lessen the gravity of the crime, and may instead highlight how easily threats can spread.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called the situation “unprecedented,” warning that gangs, cartels, and even foreign terrorist groups are increasingly targeting U.S. law enforcement officers.

According to Noem, agents’ photos and personal details are being circulated online, with financial rewards offered for kidnapping or killing them. This has dramatically increased the risks faced by officers already working dangerous assignments.

The case has reignited concerns about officer safety, organized crime, and the growing use of digital platforms to coordinate violent threats, underscoring how high the stakes have become for those protecting the nation’s borders.