Castro taken into custody in Minnesota and booked at the Hennepin County jail in Minneapolis on Thursday, he also appeared in a Minnesota state court and bond was set for his release. Castro on Friday, also appeared before a federal magistrate in Minnesota and pleaded not guilty to making false statements regarding the shooting of a Venezuelan victim during an immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis in January.
By H. Nelson Goodson Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
September 18, 2026
Minneapolis, Minnesota - On Thursday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USICE) and Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) agent Christian Jeremiah Castro, 52, of McAllen, Texas was charged in state court (Minnesota) with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. Castro was taken into custody after appearing at a Hennepin County court on September 17, 2026. (HNNUSA article link: https://hispanicnewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2026/05/wanted-usice-agent-christian-castro-52.html?m=1)
According to a press release by the Hennepin County District Attorney's Office regarding previously filed criminal charges, on January 14, 2026, Castro fired his weapon through a front door and into a home with multiple people inside. The bullet struck Julio Sosa-Celis in the leg and lodged in the wall of a child’s bedroom.
During Castro's first appearance, Hennepin County Attorney’s Office (HCAO) prosecutors argued for $500,000 unconditional bail and $350,000 conditional bail. The court set bail at $400,000 and $200,000, respectively.
The terms of bail are:
- No contact with witnesses
- No possession of weapons
- Surrender of passport and electronic monitoring
- Supervised release
- Pre-signed waiver of extradition
“The process of holding Mr. Castro accountable for firing his weapon through a front door, striking Julio Sosa-Celis, endangering the lives of others, and falsely reporting a crime has begun,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. “Every defendant, including Mr. Castro, is entitled to a fair trial and he will receive one. My thoughts today are with the victims whose lives were upended because of this incident.”
Both Mr. Sosa-Celis and Mr. Aljorna were charged with federal crimes based on Mr. Castro’s false reports. Those charges were later dismissed when video was produced that definitively countered Mr. Castro’s claims.
Castro’s next Minnesota state court appearance is scheduled for November 3 at 1:30 p.m..
Castro is also facing federal charges for making false statements in the frivolous federal criminal complaint filed against both Castro and Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna. (District of Minnesota | Christian Castro Indicted by Grand Jury for Making False Statements | United States Department of Justice https://share.google/HFums5DeWYIkG5NH1)
Castro and another USICE agent (has not been identified) lied in a federal crime report saying they were attacked by Sosa-Celis and Aljorna, which a security camera surveillance video from a nearby location captured the shooting contradicting Castro's claims.
On Friday, September 18, 2026, Castro appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright in Minnesota and pleaded not guilty to 6 federal counts for providing materially false statements. He was released on s $75,000 bond, must remain in GPS monitoring, stay in Minnesota or Texas and must request approval for travel by the court, no contact with victims or witnesses and had surrendered his passport.
Castro is considered a flight risk by Minnesota authorities and might have planned to cross into Mexico to avoid state and federal prosecution, despite his flight risk, he was granted bond by both the state and federal courts.
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