A Fort Carson-based Staff Sergeant has been arrested and charged with drug trafficking and weapons-related crimes after a federal raid exposed his leadership role in a suspected criminal network involving other active-duty troops. Court records show that his command had previously warned him about his off-duty activity—yet he continued operating in defiance of military regulations.
Staff Sergeant Juan Gabriel Orona-Rodriguez, 28, was taken into custody on April 27, 2025, during a DEA-led raid on “Warike,” an after-hours, unlicensed nightclub in Colorado Springs known for prior incidents involving narcotics, firearms, and violent crime. Orona-Rodriguez, assigned to Fort Carson, now faces two felony federal charges: conspiracy to distribute cocaine and distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, each carrying up to 20 years in federal prison.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, Orona-Rodriguez sold cocaine directly to an undercover DEA agent during the week of April 21, 2025. Phone records obtained through a federal search warrant point to a sustained pattern of cocaine trafficking from at least September 2024 through April 2025.
Chain of Command Was Aware
Court filings reveal that Orona-Rodriguez operated a private security firm, Immortal Security LLC, which provided armed security for local nightclubs, including Warike. In March 2025, he received a formal counseling statement from his chain of command, informing him that the business and nightclub involvement were unauthorized under Army policy. The counseling cited his failure to obtain off-duty employment approval and specifically identified Immortal Security as prohibited.
Despite this documented warning, Orona-Rodriguez continued operating the business and allegedly recruited other active-duty and former military personnel to work as armed guards. On the night of the raid, law enforcement encountered at least 17 active-duty soldiers present at the club.
Allegations of Firearm Trafficking and Broader Conspiracy
In addition to drug charges, federal investigators suspect Orona-Rodriguez of trafficking firearms, including weapons equipped with high-capacity magazines, to individuals ineligible to possess them under federal law. Evidence collected from his phone includes images consistent with cocaine, coded conversations with drug contacts, and digital logs of quantities, pricing, and meetup locations.
The case falls under the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America, an initiative targeting transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and domestic criminal enterprises that pose violent threats to U.S. communities.
Authorities believe Orona-Rodriguez’s activities involved multiple co-conspirators and a structured effort to distribute narcotics and potentially firearms.
Fallout and Questions of Oversight
The presence of numerous active-duty troops at an illegal nightclub during a DEA raid has raised broader concerns about discipline, oversight, and off-duty behavior in high-tempo military units. Observers within the veteran and military community are questioning how a soldier with documented warnings continued operating in such an overt and high-risk manner without further intervention.
The Army has not released a public statement about Orona-Rodriguez’s arrest or the potential administrative or disciplinary actions facing other soldiers connected to Immortal Security LLC or the Warike nightclub. It remains unclear whether the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) will be used to pursue additional accountability.
Legal Proceedings
As of May 2, 2025, Orona-Rodriguez remains in federal custody. He has been charged under the following statutes:
- 21 U.S.C. § 846 – Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine
- 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C) – Distribution and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine
Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a potential lifetime of supervised release. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Houlihan.
The investigation is ongoing, led by the FBI’s Southern Colorado Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, the DEA’s Colorado Springs Resident Office, and the Colorado Springs Police Department.
© 2025 The Salty Soldier All rights reserved.
The content of this webpage may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written consent of TheSaltySoldier.com
