ICE agent Christian Castro indicted for lying about Minnesota shooting

ICE agent indictment Christian Castro Operation Metro Surge Minnesota shooting federal false statements charges

ICE agent Christian Castro has been indicted by federal prosecutors on six counts of making materially false statements to investigators. The charges stem from a January 14 shooting in Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge, where Castro fired through a door and struck 24-year-old Venezuelan immigrant Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg.

Castro had initially claimed under oath that Sosa-Celis and another individual attacked him with a snow shovel and a broom handle. However, surveillance footage contradicted this account, showing the victim slipping and falling before the encounter. Following the investigation, the charges against the migrants were dismissed due to newly discovered evidence.

In addition to the federal indictment, Castro faces state-level felony charges in Minnesota for second-degree assault and falsely reporting a crime. A legal standoff occurred between Minnesota and Texas after Texas Governor Greg Abbott declined to extradite Castro to Minnesota, leading to the agent's release from Texas custody last week. Castro has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges and is currently under court-ordered supervision.

Entities

Christian Castro · Communications Workers of America · Department of Homeland Security · Department of Justice · Greg Abbott · Immigration and Customs Enforcement · Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis · Minneapolis · Minnesota · Service Employees International Union · U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] Federal prosecutors have indicted ICE officer Christian Castro for making false statements regarding a shooting in Minnesota. www.npr.org · alphanews.org · hotair.com
[● 2 SOURCES] A federal judge in Texas ruled against Minnesota’s request to keep Castro in jail pending extradition. www.npr.org · hotair.com
[● 2 SOURCES] During Operation Metro Surge in January, Christian Castro fired a weapon through a closed door, striking Julio Sosa-Celis in the leg. www.npr.org · alphanews.org
[○ 1 SOURCE] An ICE spokesperson characterized Minnesota’s prosecution of Castro as an unlawful political stunt. alphanews.org
[○ 1 SOURCE] Castro faces state-level charges in Minnesota including four felony counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. alphanews.org
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Justice Department dropped initial assault charges against Julio Sosa-Celis after acknowledging untruthful statements by officers. www.npr.org
[● 38 SOURCES] Federal prosecutors have charged ICE agent Christian Castro with making false statements to investigators. www.npr.org · alphanews.org · hotair.com · www.tag24.com · www.eldiariodehoy.com · +33 more
[● 23 SOURCES] The shooting occurred in January during Operation Metro Surge in north Minneapolis. www.npr.org · alphanews.org · www.tag24.com · www.eldiariodehoy.com · contrapunto.com · +18 more
[○ 1 SOURCE] An ICE spokesperson described Minnesota’s prosecution of Castro as a political stunt. alphanews.org
[● 5 SOURCES] Castro was suspended without pay following his release from a Texas prison. alphanews.org · stvincenttribune.com · abc30.com · www.tag24.com · bahamasspectator.com
[● 6 SOURCES] Surveillance footage contradicted Castro’s claim that Sosa-Celis attacked him. www.npr.org · notifalcon.com · www.laverdadpa.com · fatoamazonico.com.br · www.kaaltv.com · +1 more
[● 38 SOURCES] Christian Castro shot Julio Sosa-Celis in the leg by firing through a door. www.npr.org · alphanews.org · www.tag24.com · www.eldiariodehoy.com · contrapunto.com · +33 more