Ice officer christian castro granted bail after minneapolis shooting case

MINNEAPOLIS — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Christian Castro has been granted bail after appearing before a Minnesota judge in connection with a January shooting that left a Venezuelan man wounded.
Castro appeared in court Thursday following his arrest by Minnesota authorities on state charges of assault and falsely reporting a crime. Judge Paul Scoggin set bail at $400,000 without conditions, or $200,000 with conditions, including an agreement that Castro would not challenge extradition if he leaves Minnesota.
Prosecutors allege that Castro shot 24-year-old Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg while firing through the front door of a Minneapolis home during a federal immigration enforcement operation. Authorities say Castro later told investigators that he had been attacked with a broom handle and a snow shovel before using his firearm.
The allegations have resulted in both state and federal criminal cases. In the federal case, Castro is accused of making false statements to investigators about the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Castro’s arrest followed months of legal disputes over Minnesota’s efforts to bring him back from Texas to face state charges. He had previously been arrested in Texas, but Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declined to approve an extradition warrant. Castro was later released and returned to Minnesota voluntarily after facing separate federal charges.

The case has also created a jurisdictional dispute between Minnesota officials and the federal government. The Department of Homeland Security has argued that Minnesota’s prosecution is unlawful and that federal authorities have jurisdiction over the matter.
Castro’s federal case continued on Friday, when he pleaded not guilty to six counts of making false statements to FBI investigators. Under the federal release conditions, he must surrender his firearm and passport, may travel only between Minnesota and southern Texas, and is prohibited from contacting victims or witnesses in the case.
The shooting occurred during Operation Metro Surge, a major federal immigration enforcement operation in the Minneapolis area. The broader operation generated protests and legal disputes over federal immigration enforcement.
The criminal allegations against Castro remain pending, and the charges have not been proven in court.
Sources: Associated Press; Reuters; CBS News.