ICE officer accused of lying to FBI about Minneapolis shooting pleads not guilty
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer accused of lying to the FBI about a January shooting in Minneapolis pleaded not guilty Friday to six federal counts of making materially false statements.
Christian Castro appeared in a federal courtroom in St. Paul after prosecutors accused him of shooting 24-year-old Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg through the front door of a Minneapolis home during Operation Metro Surge.
Castro told investigators he was being attacked with a broom and shovel before opening fire, but prosecutors say surveillance footage contradicted his account.
During his court appearance Friday, Castro, 52, was wearing an ankle monitor and was instructed by a judge to travel only between Minnesota and South Texas. If he has any altercation with law enforcement, he is required to report it within 72 hours, the judge said. He was then released.
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Castro was previously held in Texas custody for about 90 days before he was released. He was held for so long partly because Texas Gov. Greg Abbott refused to sign an extradition warrant to hand him over to Minnesota authorities.
Castro was booked in Minnesota last week following his release in Texas, his home state. Upon his release there, Castro was required to wear an ankle monitor and to surrender his passport and guns.
He faces federal and state charges related to the shooting.
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Prosecutors said Castro lied about the circumstances of the shooting, which occurred during Operation Metro Surge, part of the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration. He said he was being attacked with a broom and shovel before he fired his weapon.
The law enforcement operation saw thousands of federal agents in Minnesota that resulted in sweeping arrests, as well as the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens.
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Minnesota authorities have battled the Trump administration over who should handle any charges against Castro. The administration contends that only federal authorities have jurisdiction over the case.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
