A federal grand jury indicted ICE Officer Christian Castro on Sept. 2 for allegedly making six materially false statements to investigators about a January shooting in Minneapolis. The charges stem from an incident during Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, where Castro shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national, in the leg on Jan. 14. Castro pleaded not guilty in a Texas federal court on Friday and was released on a $75,000 unsecured bond with an ankle monitor.
Castro’s Alleged Falsehoods
According to the unsealed indictment, Castro told investigators that he was attacked with a broom and snow shovel during a physical altercation that lasted three minutes. However, the indictment states that no such attack occurred and that the struggle lasted only 11 seconds. Video evidence contradicted Castro’s claims that he was on his back when he fired his weapon. The shooting occurred as Castro and his partner pursued a fleeing vehicle, which Sosa-Celis attempted to help escape before both men entered a nearby apartment duplex.
Legal and Institutional Response
Castro was charged with six counts of making false statements to federal investigators. He turned himself in to authorities in Texas on Thursday evening, following his release from jail after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott did not sign an extradition warrant sought by Minnesota prosecutors. Castro has been suspended without pay by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security pending the outcome of the case.
Federal prosecutors allege that Castro’s false statements were an attempt to justify the shooting, which occurred while two 1-year-old children and two women were inside the home. Minnesota officials have also filed separate assault and false reporting charges against Castro related to the shooting. A federal prosecutor in Minnesota, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Evans, was reportedly fired after objecting to the charges against Castro, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Background: Operation Metro Surge
The shooting took place during Operation Metro Surge, a Trump administration initiative that deployed thousands of federal immigration agents to Minneapolis. The operation sparked widespread protests and led to the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal officers. Sosa-Celis’ shooting occurred just one week after federal agents killed Renee Good, another individual during the operation.
Ongoing Investigations
The case has drawn additional scrutiny after reports that Evans, the fired prosecutor, had previously indicated to Sosa-Celis’ attorneys that Castro would face charges for making false statements. The Justice Department is now investigating Evans’ conduct, according to sources cited by CBS News. The incident has also raised questions about accountability and transparency in federal law enforcement operations, particularly regarding the use of force and the veracity of officers’ statements in high-stakes encounters.