Testimony included debates over Latin Kings involvement, with the judge limiting gang-related evidence; Espinoza Martinez’s brother testified that the messages were a joke seen on social media.

Bovino did not testify, and the defense challenged the credibility of the government’s broader case and its prior assertions linking Espinoza Martinez to the Latin Kings, a claim the judge limited.

As of the verdict, 15 of 31 defendants charged in Operation Midway Blitz have been cleared, with no convictions in this group to date.

The case marks the first prosecution arising from Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago, signaling intensified federal action on immigration enforcement under the current administration.

Judge Joan Lefkow presided as the verdict came after a notably swift trial, with prosecutors presenting their case in about 170 minutes and multiple witnesses, while the defense offered limited testimony.

Prosecutors introduced Snapchat exchanges in which Espinoza Martinez allegedly said “10k if u take him down,” arguing the statements carried real intent, while the defense maintained the messages were casual gossip with no concrete plan or funding.

Jurors deliberated for under four hours before delivering a verdict in a high-profile deportation-adjacent case in downtown Chicago.

Espinoza Martinez faced a single murder-for-hire count tied to a case involving U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino, carrying a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.

The proceedings highlighted tensions between federal prosecutors’ enforcement narratives and ongoing lawsuits criticizing immigration crackdowns in Chicago and nationally, including during the Trump-era context.

The trial occurred amid broader scrutiny of immigration operations and the credibility of DHS narratives, with related prosecutions facing skepticism and several Midway Blitz cases seeing charges dismissed or dropped.

Espinoza Martinez was arrested in October amid heightened attention to Chicago-area immigration enforcement, particularly in Little Village, as part of Operation Midway Blitz where multiple prosecutions have faced challenges.

The case illustrated the government’s portrayal of Espinoza Martinez as a high-ranking gang member versus the defense’s view of misinterpreted social-media posts, focusing on intent and proof.