A federal immigration agent charged in the January shooting of a Venezuelan man during Operation Metro Surge was apprehended in Texas on Friday after a nationwide warrant was issued for his arrest.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Christian Castro, 52, was arrested by Texas Rangers and agents with the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General. Investigators with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) were also on the scene for the arrest.
“In Minnesota, we believe in equal justice under the law. That means nobody is above the law, including agents of the federal government,” said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. “I am pleased to hear Christian Castro has been taken into custody and will stand trial for the crimes he allegedly committed in Minnesota. Justice demands no less.”
On Jan. 14, following a brief struggle between Venezuelan national Alfredo Aljorna, who immigration agents were pursuing, Castro shot into Aljorna’s north Minneapolis home. The bullet hit Aljorna’s roommate, Julio Sosa-Celis, in the leg. It then lodged in the closet of a child’s bedroom.
Castro is charged with four counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of falsely reporting a crime.
“Today’s arrest is a critical step forward in our prosecution of Mr. Castro,” said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. “The BCA’s investigative work was instrumental in this process and we’re grateful for their collaboration as we pursue accountability for this incident on behalf of Mr. Sosa-Celis, his family, and our community.”
Video recovered by BCA investigators from a city traffic camera did not match Castro’s account that he was attacked with shovels and a broom during the altercation with Aljorna. In the weeks after the shooting, Castro was placed on leave as he and another ICE agent were investigated for allegedly lying under oath following the review of evidence by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Federal charges against Sosa-Celis and Aljorna were dropped due to the inconsistencies in Castro’s testimony.
The shooting of Sosa-Celis followed the killing of Renee Macklin Good and preceded the killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents. Both those shootings are also being investigated by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, though a timeline for charges remains unclear.
Castro is the second ICE agent facing local charges for conduct during the surge. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office is also prosecuting Gregory Morgan, who allegedly pointed his gun at two people on the highway in February. Despite the chance that Castro’s case may be moved to federal court, Moriarty said her office will still prosecute the case under Minnesota statute, and a conviction would make Castro ineligible for a presidential pardon.
