An Army soldier who was arrested as part of a raid on an underground nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado, last week is suspected of possessing and distributing cocaine while also trafficking firearms with high-capacity magazines to illegal aliens, according to a criminal complaint.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced Thursday that 28-year-old Staff Sgt. Juan Gabriel Orona-Rodriguez has been charged with a single count each of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado on Wednesday, the criminal complaint alleges that Orona-Rodriguez sold cocaine to an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent the week of April 21.
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Investigators executed a search warrant on the suspect’s cellphone and allegedly found text messages between Sept. 16, 2024, and April 9, 2025, that suggested he repeatedly purchased and sold cocaine to other individuals.
The affidavit notes that Orona-Rodriguez is suspected of unlawfully trafficking firearms, including those with high-capacity magazines, to illegal aliens. It also says Orona-Rodriguez is assigned to Fort Carson in Colorado Springs.
Along with serving in the Army, Orona-Rodriguez is employed by Immortal Security LLC, the affidavit claims, which provides armed security to nightclubs as well as an unlawful nightclub called Warike in Colorado Springs, which was the location of a major DEA raid early Sunday morning that resulted in the arrest of at least 114 illegal immigrants.
During the raid, authorities uncovered drugs, including pink cocaine, as well as evidence of prostitution and multiple firearms during the operation, the DEA said.
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The same underground nightclub is frequented by Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gang members, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Prior to the raid, the Colorado Springs Police Department received 911 calls related to Warike, citing a wide variety of alleged crimes, including weapons violations, assault, narcotics and other violent crimes.
Orona-Rodriguez was one of more than a dozen Army service members at Warike when the search warrant was executed in the wee hours of Sunday.
The FBI special agent who filed the affidavit wrote that, based on information from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, Orona-Rodriguez received a developmental counseling form from his commanding officer in the spring of 2025 related to activity involving Immortal Security, particularly regarding allegations of drug distribution and firearms.
The form came from Orona-Rodriguez’s commanding officer, the agent wrote, and the suspect was told at that time that Immortal Security Operation LLC was off-limits to members of the Armed Forces.
Specifically, Orona-Rodriguez was told in March 2025, “You are prohibited in engaging in off-duty employment without the approval of the Battalion Commander IAW 4ID…”
Orona-Rodriguez does not have any prior felony convictions, the agent noted.
Bondi applauded the operation, which included 300 officials across multiple agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“This morning @DEAHQ apprehended over 100 illegal aliens at an underground nightclub frequented by Tda and MS-13 terrorists,” Bondi said in a post on X. “Cocaine, meth, and pink cocaine was seized.”
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and the Colorado Springs Police Department were also involved in the operation.
In videos posted of the operation, U.S. Postal Service and IRS agents are seen arresting illegal aliens at the nightclub, showing the Trump administration using a whole-of-government approach to carrying out deportations.
Specifically, a U.S. Postal Service inspector and an agent with IRS Criminal Investigations were seen with alleged criminals in their custody.
Many of those detained in Sunday’s raid are expected to face federal immigration charges, according to DEA Rocky Mountain. At least two people were also arrested on existing warrants, Bondi said.
Fox News’ Nicole Wright, Danielle Wallace, Bony Chu and Bill Melugin contributed to this report.
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