Federal prosecutors have brought criminal charges against a federal immigration agent, accusing him of making false statements regarding a physical encounter that led to the shooting of a Venezuelan national earlier this year. A multi-count indictment handed down by a federal grand jury alleges that deportation officer Christian Castro provided untruthful accounts to law enforcement officials while they were investigating the circumstances surrounding the discharge of his firearm in Minneapolis. The charges mark an extraordinary federal turn against an officer participating in high-profile enforcement operations.
The legal matter stems from a January incident in which federal agents pursued an individual before an officer discharged a weapon through a closed apartment entryway, striking resident Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg. In the initial aftermath, government filings claimed that Sosa-Celis and another individual, Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna, ambushed the agent and repeatedly struck him with a snow shovel and broom handle. Federal prosecutors originally used those statements to file criminal assault charges against both men.
However, the case against the two men unraveled weeks later when prosecutors moved to dismiss all charges with prejudice after discovering video footage that directly contradicted the official account. Former acting agency head Todd Lyons acknowledged the discrepancy publicly, noting that “video evidence has revealed that sworn testimony provided by two separate officers appears to have made untruthful statements”. Lyons added that both personnel were immediately placed on administrative leave because “lying under oath is a serious federal offense”.
The new federal indictment follows months of complex jurisdictional disputes and state-level prosecution efforts. State authorities in Minnesota had previously charged Castro with multiple offenses, including second-degree assault and filing a false police report, but he was released from a Texas detention center after Texas leadership declined to execute an extradition warrant to transfer him back to Minnesota. Prosecutors in Minnesota subsequently expressed significant concern that the agent might attempt to cross into Mexico to avoid facing trial.
With the federal case moving forward, federal authorities are working to locate Castro as the court process unfolds. Representation for the shooting victim emphasized that the charges reinforce their position that the original narrative was fabricated to justify the force used. Legal counsel representing Sosa-Celis publicly stated that “these untruthful statements had serious consequences for my client and his family,” adding that “my client is a crime victim”.
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