Jury finds Chicago man not guilty of circulating $10K bounty on life of top Border Patrol leader
Source: AP
By SOPHIA TAREEN
Updated 5:25 PM CST, January 22, 2026
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CHICAGO (AP) — A man accused of offering a $10,000 bounty over Snapchat for the life of a top Border Patrol leader was found not guilty on Thursday in the first criminal trial stemming from the Chicago-area immigration crackdown that started last year.
Jurors deliberated less than 4 hours before returning the favorable verdict for 37-year-old Juan Espinoza Martinez. He faced one count of murder-for-hire and up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Testimony lasted mere hours in the federal trial that was the latest test of the Trump administration’s credibility on federal surges that have played out from Minnesota to Maine.
Espinoza Martinez, who wore a suit and tie, listened intently with his arms crossed near his stomach. He hugged his attorneys and shook their hands after court adjourned.
Attorneys for the defense declined comment. Prosecutors did not address reporters waiting in the lobby of the federal court in downtown Chicago. Neither did jurors.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/immigration-arrests-murder-bounty-chicago-trial-bf73aa9f3f0b5478e199a38b09311364
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