Man accused of plot to murder US border patrol’s Bovino found not guilty

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Sam Levin and agenciesJanuary 23, 2026 at 02:43 AM

AI Summary

medium article 4 min

Juan Espinoza Martinez was found not guilty in Chicago on Thursday of a murder-for-hire plot targeting US Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino. The government alleged Espinoza Martinez offered $10,000 over Snapchat to have Bovino killed, who led aggressive immigration operations. The defense argued the Snapchat message was innocuous and not a credible threat. The acquittal is an embarrassment for federal prosecutors, representing the first criminal trial stemming from the Trump administration's crackdown in the Chicago area. This verdict follows other failed criminal cases tied to immigration enforcement, including a similar acquittal in Los Angeles involving testimony from Bovino. Espinoza Martinez faced a potential 10-year prison sentence.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Jason Yonan 40% Dena Singer 40% Los Angeles 40% Trump administration 50% US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ×260% Chicago ×360% United States 70% Department of Justice 70% Gregory Bovino ×580% Juan Espinoza Martinez ×590%

Keywords

murder-for-hire plot 90% not guilty verdict 80% border patrol 70% immigration enforcement 60% department of justice 60% federal prosecution 50% snapchat message 50% acquittal 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

United States

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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murder-for-hire plot not guilty verdict border patrol immigration enforcement department of justice federal prosecution snapchat message acquittal

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