A 52-year old ICE agent facing charges related to an incident during Operation Metro Surge in the Twin Cities has been located and arrested in Texas.
Christian Castro was charged in Hennepin County earlier this month after prosecutors say he shot through the front door of a home following a foot chase, knowing there were people inside.
The bullet struck a victim in the leg, before getting lodged into the wall of a child's room. The person being chased was not the person that ended up shot, and was not the person they were looking for.
“Today’s arrest is a critical step forward in our prosecution of Mr. Castro,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. “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.”
Homeland Security officials also acknowledge that he lied about being attacked with a shovel during the incident.
Castro was picked up by Texas Rangers and the Inspector General of Homeland Security, with Minnesota BCA agents present at the scene in Texas Friday morning.
"In Minnesota, we believe in equal justice under the law. That means nobody is above the law, including agents of the federal government," Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said. "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. Christian Castro's alleged shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis appears unwarranted, as evidenced by the lies Castro told his ICE supervisors to justify his unlawful actions. He remains innocent unless and until proven guilty."
Both Moriarty and Ellison added that the state charges are likely to result in an attempt to “remove” this case to federal court. Should a judge grant removal, it will still be prosecuted by Hennepin County attorneys, under Minnesota Statute. Should it end in conviction, it will be ineligible for presidential pardon.
