Federal agents say they disrupted a murder plot targeting a senior U.S. Border Patrol official before it could be carried out. Authorities allege a price had been placed on the official’s life by a man in the country illegally.

The intended target was Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino. Investigators say the suspect was connected to a violent street gang and used social media to coordinate the plan.

According to federal officials, the plot came to light after a confidential informant warned that someone tied to the Latin Kings was offering money to track and kill a high-ranking border officer.

That tip launched an urgent Homeland Security Investigations operation, which quickly identified Juan Espinoza Martinez in Burr Ridge, Illinois, as the alleged organizer.

Investigators say online messages linked to Martinez discussed payments for surveillance and a larger payout for carrying out the killing. Authorities described the language as clear evidence of a serious and coordinated threat.

Before anyone could act on the offer, federal agents moved in. Martinez was arrested without incident in suburban Chicago, officials said.

The Justice Department has charged him with soliciting the murder of a senior federal law enforcement officer, a felony that carries the possibility of decades in prison if convicted.

DHS leaders called the case a strong warning to gangs and criminal networks, stressing that threats against federal officers will be met with swift and decisive action.