Overview
- Christian Castro turned himself in to federal authorities on Thursday after a federal grand jury returned a sealed indictment that was unsealed Friday; he pleaded not guilty and is in custody pending a bond and detention hearing.
- The indictment charges Castro with six counts of making false statements, alleging he lied about being struck with a broom and a snow shovel and misrepresented his position when he fired a shot through a front door that hit Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg.
- Federal prosecutors previously dropped assault charges against Sosa-Celis after surveillance video and other evidence contradicted the officers’ accounts, and Castro was suspended without pay by the Department of Homeland Security in February.
- Minnesota still pursues separate state charges against Castro and his May arrest in Texas led to an extradition fight after Gov. Greg Abbott did not immediately sign a rendition warrant, allowing Castro’s release under Texas’ 90-day rule before the federal indictment.
- The case has sparked internal DOJ conflict after a Minnesota assistant U.S. attorney sought civil-rights charges and was later fired and placed under investigation, and the outcome could influence whether Washington brings broader deprivation-of-rights charges or limits the prosecution to false-statement counts.