A U.S. Army soldier stationed at Fort Carson has been charged with distributing cocaine following a federal drug raid at an illegal nightclub in Colorado Springs.
Staff Sgt. Juan Gabriel Orona-Rodriguez, 28, faces three federal charges: distribution of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. The charges were announced Thursday.
A criminal complaint alleges that Orona-Rodriguez sold cocaine to an undercover agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration during the week of April 21. Investigators later reviewed his phone and uncovered messages dating back to September 2024 that indicated a pattern of purchasing and reselling cocaine.
Orona-Rodriguez was taken into custody Wednesday evening. At his initial court appearance Thursday, he appeared in military uniform and requested a public defender. His attorney, Josh Lilley, declined to comment following the hearing.
The arrest followed an April 27 raid by the DEA at Warike, an unlicensed after-hours club in Colorado Springs. Authorities said Orona-Rodriguez was among 17 active-duty soldiers at the club when agents uncovered narcotics, firearms, and evidence of prostitution. More than 100 individuals suspected of being in the United States illegally were also detained during the operation.
According to investigators, Warike had drawn law enforcement attention after repeated emergency calls reporting violence, drugs, and weapons.
Orona-Rodriguez is connected to Immortal Security LLC, a private security company that provided armed personnel to the club. Army officials had previously ordered him not to work for the firm.
Authorities also suspect Orona-Rodriguez trafficked firearms, including weapons with high-capacity magazines, to individuals in the country illegally. Investigators believe he received cocaine from a Mexican national who is also residing in the U.S. unlawfully.
Orona-Rodriguez has served in the Army for nearly nine years and has earned multiple service awards, including a commendation for combat performance. Sixteen of the 17 soldiers found at Warike are assigned to Fort Carson. Only one was working as security during the raid.
The investigation is being led by the DEA, FBI, and U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division. Prosecutors Michael Houlihan and Garreth Winstead are handling the case. The charges are allegations. Orona-Rodriguez is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. A detention hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
