Minnesota Authorities Charge ICE Officer With Assault, False Report in January Shooting of Civilian

The state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension located Castro in Texas, and the Texas Rangers assisted in the arrest. The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General said its agents were not involved in or present for the apprehension and stated that any characterization of its participation was inaccurate.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty called the arrest “a critical step forward in our prosecution of Mr.

Castro is the second federal agent charged over conduct during the Minnesota enforcement operation known as Operation Metro Surge. According to prosecutors, Castro and another officer chased Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna to the Minneapolis apartment duplex where Aljorna and Sosa-Celis lived. Castro fired through the front door and shot Sosa-Celis in the thigh.

Sosa-Celis and Aljorna were legally in the United States, Moriarty said. Federal authorities initially accused Sosa-Celis and Aljorna of beating an officer with a broom handle and a snow shovel. A federal judge later dismissed those charges, and ICE and the Justice Department opened an investigation into whether the officers lied about the incident.

ICE Director Todd Lyons said Castro was one of two agents who lied about the circumstances. S. attorney’s office was investigating statements made by the officers and that they could face disciplinary action including termination and prosecution.

Minneapolis released video last month from a city-owned security camera showing the moments before the shooting. The footage shows a person standing with a snow shovel outside the house, retreating toward the house and tossing the shovel into the yard as another person being chased runs up from the street, falls on the sidewalk, gets up, and continues toward the house.

Online court records do not list an attorney for Castro.