ICE officer, accused of shooting Venezuelan man and lying to investigators, pleads not guilty

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer pleaded not guilty Friday to federal charges accusing him of lying to the FBI about a shooting that wounded a Venezuelan man in Minneapolis.

Christian Castro, 52, appeared before a US magistrate judge after being indicted on six counts of making false statements about the January 14 shooting of 24-year-old Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, the Associated Press reported.

Prosecutors allege Castro shot Sosa-Celis in the leg while firing through the front door of a Minneapolis home.

They say Castro later falsely told investigators he had been attacked with a broom handle and snow shovel before opening fire.

Castro also faces state assault charges in Minnesota and appeared in state court Thursday before being released.

The case followed months of disagreement over efforts to extradite Castro from Texas.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott refused to sign an extradition warrant last month. Castro later returned to Minnesota voluntarily after being released from a Texas jail.

The federal case marks the Justice Department’s first prosecution of a federal officer over actions during Operation Metro Surge, according to the Associated Press.

Castro was previously released on a $75,000 bond and ordered to wear a GPS ankle monitor, surrender his passport and turn over personal firearms.

The Department of Homeland Security has suspended Castro without pay while the criminal cases proceed.