A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent turned himself in to federal authorities on Thursday after a federal grand jury indicted him on six counts of making false statements, according to reporting by wisconsinexaminer.com. The case centers on a January shooting in Minneapolis in which agent Christian Castro fired through a closed door and struck a man in the leg.
What Happened
The January 14 incident began with a car chase between Castro and a man named Alfredo Aljorna. After Aljorna exited his vehicle and slipped, Castro jumped on top of him. A neighbor, Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis — who lived in the same duplex as Aljorna — dropped a shovel he was holding and moved to help. Both men then ran inside the house.
Castro fired through the front door. The bullet struck Sosa-Celis in the leg and came to rest in the wall of a child’s bedroom.
In statements to FBI investigators, Castro claimed Sosa-Celis and Aljorna had assaulted him with a broom and snow shovel, that a third man was also present, that the altercation lasted three minutes, and that he was on the ground when he fired. Surveillance footage contradicted each of those claims.
What the Indictment Covers
The grand jury indictment, unsealed Friday, includes six counts of making false statements. Four counts relate to Castro’s claims that he was struck with a broom or shovel and that a nonexistent third man participated. One count addresses his claim that the confrontation lasted three minutes — surveillance footage showed it lasted 11 seconds. A sixth count stems from his statement that he was on the ground when he discharged his weapon; footage showed he was standing.
Assault charges that had been filed against Sosa-Celis and Aljorna were dropped after the surveillance evidence emerged.
Charges Downgraded, Prosecutor Fired
The federal indictment charges Castro only with false statements, not civil rights violations. According to the Wisconsin Examiner’s reporting, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Evans was directed by Justice Department officials in Washington to downgrade the civil rights charges. Limiting the case to false statements sidesteps any legal fight over whether the shooting itself was justified. CBS News reported Thursday, citing four unnamed sources, that Evans was subsequently fired.
Castro’s Background and Prior Arrest
Castro spent eight years with U.S. Border Patrol before joining ICE in September. Texas Rangers arrested him in May, and he was held in a Texas county jail for 90 days. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a lawsuit seeking to block Castro’s release, but the effort failed, and Castro was released last week.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had blocked Castro’s extradition to Minnesota during that period. In addition to the federal false-statement charges, Castro faces four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime under Minnesota state law.
What’s Next
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said Castro is expected to appear first before a federal court in Texas, after which a date will be set for his appearance in a Minnesota federal court. “Despite Gov. Abbott’s best efforts to shield Mr. Castro, we will see him soon,” Moriarty said, as reported by the Wisconsin Examiner.
The case has drawn attention to questions about federal oversight of ICE operations and the handling of use-of-force incidents involving immigration enforcement agents. Similar tensions over federal immigration enforcement have surfaced in other cases across the country in recent months.