An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent accused of shooting an illegal alien from Venezuela in Minneapolis and then lying about the encounter has been charged by the U.S. Department of Justice with making false statements, according to sources familiar with the case.
Christian Castro, 52, turned himself in to federal authorities Thursday and remains in custody. He is expected to make his initial appearance before a federal judge in Texas on Friday.
The federal charges stem from the January 14 shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, who was wounded in the leg at a Minneapolis home during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota.
Conflicting Accounts of Shooting
Castro has said he fired after being attacked with a shovel and broom while attempting to make an arrest. However, surveillance footage and witness accounts later contradicted key portions of his description of the encounter.
Sosa-Celis was initially charged federally, along with another man, Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna, also an illegal alien from Venezuela, with forcibly assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers. The Justice Department later dropped those charges, citing newly discovered evidence that was materially inconsistent with the allegations.
ICE leadership subsequently said a review of video evidence showed that two officers involved in the incident had made untruthful statements under oath. Castro was placed on administrative leave and suspended without pay while the investigation continued.
Minnesota Charges Led to Extradition Fight
In May, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty brought separate state charges against Castro alleging four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime.
A Minnesota judge issued a nationwide arrest warrant, and Castro was arrested in Cameron County, Texas, on May 29. Minnesota officials then sought to have him extradited to face the state charges.
The effort became the subject of a dispute between Minnesota officials and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Abbott declined to approve the extradition immediately, saying his administration was reviewing whether Castro legally qualified as a fugitive.
Texas authorities ultimately released Castro after he reached the state’s 90-day detention limit without extradition. A federal judge declined to order Abbott to approve the extradition.
Federal Investigation Ongoing
The federal case against Castro follows an investigation into whether his statements about the shooting were false.
ProPublica reported that a career federal prosecutor in Minnesota, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Evans, had argued for a charge involving deprivation of rights under color of law. However, the Justice Department overrode that decision, charging Castro on Thursday for making false statements to investigators.
In an email to Sosa-Celis’ lawyers on Tuesday, Evans said that Castro would be charged “only with False Statements,” which would carry a lesser penalty than the civil rights charge, if Castro is convicted.
“This is being directed by the Main Justice and the US Attorney,” Evans wrote, per ProPublica. “I objected in the strongest possible terms and fought it as hard as I could. It wasn’t enough.”
Evans was subsequently fired, and the Justice Department is now investigating him over allegations related to leaking information, CBS News reported.
A Justice Department official said potential civil rights charges would require coordination with the department’s Civil Rights Division in Washington. The official added that charging decisions are made through a collaborative review based on the facts and applicable law in each case.
The official said the department has not made a final determination and will continue its investigation without rushing the process, including a comprehensive examination of the available evidence.
Shooting Occurred During Immigration Crackdown
The shooting occurred amid a large federal immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota. Sosa-Celis was shot one week after Renee Good and 10 days before Alex Pretti, two other people whose deaths during the enforcement campaign drew national attention.
The shooting also prompted unrest in north Minneapolis, where protesters raided several federal vehicles left near the scene.
Provided by Dallas Express
