ICE Officer Christian Castro Pleads Not Guilty to Federal Charge of Lying About Minneapolis Shooting

ICE officer Christian Castro pleaded not guilty on September 4 in federal court in McAllen, Texas, to a federal indictment charging him with lying to investigators about the January 2026 shooting of Venezuelan man Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in Minneapolis, and was ordered released on a $75,000 unsecured bond with GPS monitoring. The indictment says Castro falsely claimed he was attacked with a broom and shovel, when he had only a brief physical interaction with Sosa-Celis before firing through a front door as the men ran inside a home. It is the first Justice Department prosecution of a federal officer for actions during Operation Metro Surge. Matthew Evans, the prosecutor who said Justice Department leaders blocked more serious civil rights charges, has since been fired, and a civil rights investigation reportedly continues. Minnesota authorities have separately charged Castro with assault and false reporting.