ICE Officer Charged With Lying About Minnesota Shooting of Venezuelan Man
Christian Castro, a U.S. ICE officer, appeared in federal court on charges of lying about a shovel and broom attack before shooting a Venezuelan man in Minnesota.
ICE Officer Faces Federal Charges Over False Statements in Minnesota Shooting Case
According to Google News MT, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer was released from federal custody on Friday after appearing in court in McAllen, Texas, on charges of making false statements to investigators about the circumstances that led to him shooting a Venezuelan man during a Minnesota immigration operation last January.
A federal grand jury indictment charges Christian Castro with lying to investigators, alleging he falsely claimed he was attacked with a broom and a snow shovel before opening fire and wounding Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis. Castro turned himself in to authorities on Thursday evening and appeared the following morning shackled at the wrists, waist and feet during a brief court hearing. The judge ordered him released on a $75,000 unsecured bond and fitted with a GPS ankle monitor.
Defense attorneys David A. Lindenmuth and Rolando Cantu stated that Castro intends to plead not guilty. He is due to appear next in federal court in Minnesota on 18 September.
What the Indictment Alleges
According to the federal indictment, Castro told an FBI agent that a man grabbed a red broom from a front porch and struck him with it while he was attempting to detain another man outside a Minneapolis home. Castro also claimed a second man hit him with a snow shovel, and that he fired while on the ground as the men fled.
The indictment presents a different account. It alleges Castro had a brief physical altercation with Sosa-Celis and a second man before the two retreated into a home where a one-year-old child was present. Castro then fired a shot through the closed front door while standing upright, striking Sosa-Celis in the leg.
"No person struck" Castro "with a broom as he described, and no persons wielded the broom and snow shovel as he described," the indictment states.
First DOJ Prosecution Tied to Operation Metro Surge
The case marks the first Justice Department prosecution of a federal officer for actions carried out during Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale immigration enforcement effort that brought thousands of agents to the Twin Cities area this year. The operation triggered widespread protests, numerous arrests, and the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens by federal officers.
The federal charges largely mirror those already brought by Minnesota state authorities, who separately charged Castro with assault and false reporting of a crime in connection with the nonfatal shooting of Sosa-Celis.
Federal prosecutors had initially charged Sosa-Celis and a second man, Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna, with assault. Those charges were subsequently dropped after video evidence emerged suggesting the officer may have misrepresented the encounter. Castro was suspended from ICE in February pending investigation.
The federal charges follow Castro's release from a Texas jail last week, after the state's governor declined to immediately sign an extradition warrant to transfer him to Minnesota.
Internal DOJ Conflict Over Charges
The investigation into Castro triggered significant internal conflict within the Justice Department. A prosecutor handling the case, Matthew Evans, accused senior officials of blocking efforts to pursue more serious civil rights charges against Castro.
In an email obtained by ProPublica, Evans told lawyers representing Sosa-Celis and others that Castro would only be charged with making false statements, a decision he said was made "over his strongest objections" and was "being directed by the Main Justice and the US Attorney."
Evans has since been dismissed, and the Justice Department is now investigating whether he violated any laws during his handling of the matter, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss ongoing investigations publicly. An automatic reply from Evans' Justice Department email account indicated he was on leave; other attempts to contact him were unsuccessful.
A separate source familiar with the investigation told the Associated Press that the civil rights probe into Castro is continuing and that additional charges remain possible.
Victim's Lawyer Demands Accountability
Castro's defence attorney, Lindenmuth, urged the public to allow his client due process. "His life has been that of public service to our country and to our nation, either through its military or protecting its borders and enforcing its laws," Lindenmuth said after Friday's hearing. Castro previously served in the military before joining ICE.
Robin Wolpert, the attorney representing Sosa-Celis, pressed for more serious charges. In a statement, Wolpert said Castro's false statements were made to "cover up the fact that he shot my client through the door of an occupied house without a self-defense justification." Wolpert added: "Mr. Sosa Celis wants Mr. Castro to be held fully accountable for his crimes."
The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota announced Thursday that Sosa-Celis also intends to seek damages from the federal government.
Court records do not indicate that Castro entered a not guilty plea at Friday's hearing. His attorneys have stated he intends to do so at a future court appearance.
Source: Google News MT