ICE agent Christian Castro, charged in Minneapolis shooting, released from Texas jail

Christian Castro, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent charged with shooting Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in Minneapolis in January, was released from a Texas county jail early Thursday morning. 

Castro has been the subject of a rare interstate extradition battle between Minnesota and Texas, as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott refused to sign paperwork facilitating Castro’s transfer to Minnesota, where he is charged with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. 

U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. of the Southern District of Texas paved the way for Castro’s release in a Wednesday decision denying Minnesota’s request to force Abbott to facilitate the extradition, or at least keep Castro in custody until the matter is settled. 

Castro was arrested by the Texas Rangers, a state law enforcement agency, on May 29. A Texas law prevents law enforcement agencies from holding fugitives with pending extradition requests for more than 90 days. 

Cameron County Sheriff Manuel Treviño told the Reformer Castro was released at 6:59 a.m. Thursday.

Castro is accused of firing his gun through the closed front door of a Minneapolis home, hitting Cesar-Solis in the leg. Castro accused Sosa-Celis and another Venezuelan immigrant of assaulting him with a broom and a snow shovel before Castro opened fire, leading to assault charges against the two men that were dropped after surveillance footage proved Castro’s statements false.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison submitted affidavits to the court showing that Castro was in a romantic relationship with a woman in Mexico, and owns property there, presenting a possible flight risk. Cameron County, where Castro was jailed, is on the U.S.-Mexico border. 

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, who charged Castro, said in a Wednesday press conference that the next steps in the legal process become much more complicated if Castro flees the country.