Federal prosecutors have charged Christian Castro, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, with allegedly lying under oath to investigators about the January shooting of 24-year-old Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in Minnesota.
Prosecutors allege Castro fired through the closed door of a home occupied by several people and falsely told investigators that Sosa-Celis had attacked him. Surveillance video contradicted that account, according to charging documents.
What prosecutors allege happened
Charging documents say Castro and another agent chased Venezuelan national Alfredo Aljorna after a traffic stop. Aljorna fled to the home he shared with Sosa-Celis, and both men ran inside after a brief struggle.
Castro then fired through the closed door, knowing the home was occupied, prosecutors allege. A witness said two children were inside when the shots were fired. Federal authorities later dropped the initial charges against Sosa-Celis and his co-defendant, who had been accused of forcibly assaulting an ICE officer.
What we know now
- Sosa-Celis was shot in the leg and survived.
- Castro also faces Minnesota felony charges, including assault with a dangerous weapon.
- Castro was suspended, while a second agent involved in the incident was also suspended but has not been charged.
- The federal indictment was expected to be unsealed when Castro is detained.
State case and custody status
Castro, a former Department of Homeland Security agent, also faces multiple state felony charges in Minnesota linked to the nonfatal shooting. Minnesota authorities sought to extradite him from Texas for trial.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott declined to cooperate with the extradition request. Castro remained detained in Texas for 90 days and was released last week because Texas law does not allow the state to hold someone subject to an extradition order longer than that. His whereabouts were unclear on Thursday. For additional context, see “Court rejects Minnesota request over detained ICE agent”.
Why the indictment matters
The case follows video evidence that led the administration to distance itself from Castro’s account. Todd Lyons, then acting head of ICE, said footage indicated that sworn statements by two officers appeared to be untruthful.
The indictment is a rare move by the Justice Department under President Donald Trump. ProPublica reported that DOJ officials had blocked prosecutors from pursuing more serious civil-rights charges, while a source close to the investigation told the Associated Press that the active investigation could still produce such charges.
What happens next
The federal indictment was expected to be unsealed when Castro is detained, while the state case remains tied to Minnesota’s extradition effort.
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