Home / Crime and Justice / ICE Officer Faces Charges for Shooting, Lying
ICE Officer Faces Charges for Shooting, Lying
17 Sep
Summary
- An ICE officer faces state charges for assault and false reporting.
- He is accused of lying after shooting a Venezuelan man through a door.
- A judge set a $400,000 bond for the immigration officer.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, Christian Castro, made an initial court appearance on Thursday, facing state charges of assault and false reporting. These charges stem from an incident in January where Castro allegedly shot a Venezuelan man, Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, in the leg while firing through a front door. Prosecutors claim Castro invented a story about being attacked with a broom and shovel to justify the shooting.
Castro's arrest by state authorities followed a dispute over extradition from Texas. A judge set his bail at $400,000 with no conditions, or $200,000 with conditions. He also faces separate federal charges for making false statements to investigators about the same event. The ICE officer's defense attorneys have stated he plans to plead not guilty in the federal case, which marks the first Justice Department prosecution of a federal officer during this year's Operation Metro Surge.
Minnesota authorities have clashed with the Trump administration over jurisdiction in the case, with the Department of Homeland Security deeming Minnesota's prosecution unlawful. Castro was initially arrested in Texas on state charges but was released after the Texas governor refused extradition, leading to a federal indictment before Castro voluntarily returned to Minnesota.
