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ICE officer pleads not guilty
ICE officer Christian Castro pleaded not guilty to federal charges over statements about a Minneapolis shooting.
What happened
Christian Castro, an ICE officer, entered the plea in St. Paul after a federal indictment accused him of making false statements to the FBI about the January shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis. Prosecutors allege Castro falsely claimed he had been attacked before shooting and wounding Sosa-Celis. Castro is suspended without pay.
Numbers
- 6 countsFederal false-statement charges filed
- Jan. 14Date of Minneapolis shooting
- 1 manPerson wounded in shooting — The shooting was nonfatal
Questions
- Who was wounded in the shooting?
- Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, described as a Venezuelan man, was wounded in Minneapolis; the reporting identifies the incident as nonfatal.
- Why is the FBI involved?
- The indictment alleges Castro gave agents false statements about whether he was attacked before using his firearm during the encounter.
- What state case is pending?
- Castro also faces state assault charges, after appearing in Minnesota state court and being released from custody last week.
- Why did his return take time?
- Legal disputes over extradition delayed his return from Texas; he later returned voluntarily after release from a Texas jail.
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The catch
The coverage has not determined the encounter’s sequence or whether Castro’s account was truthful.
The charges remain unresolved.