Man acquitted in murder-for-hire plot against Bovino now faces immigration proceedings
Man acquitted of bounty charges now faces immigration proceedings
- Juan Espinoza Martinez, a Chicago carpenter, was acquitted of murder-for-hire charges last week but was immediately taken into immigration custody and now faces deportation.
- He had been accused of offering a $10,000 bounty on a Border Patrol commander via Snapchat messages, a charge his defence attorneys labelled a "political prosecution."
- Prosecutors' claims, including labelling him a "criminal illegal alien" and a "ranking" Latin Kings member, were largely dismissed by the court due to a lack of evidence.
- Espinoza Martinez, a married father of three, was a recipient of the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme but was unable to reapply due to financial hardship.
- The Department of Homeland Security dismissed the jury's acquittal, stating Espinoza Martinez "targeted federal law enforcement with violence," while his defence highlighted the jury's demand for real evidence.