Latest news with #Orona-Rodriguez
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Staff sergeant accused of distributing cocaine at illegal nightclub could be released
DENVER (KDVR) — A federal judge ordered Thursday that a Fort Carson staff sergeant in the U.S. Army accused of selling cocaine at an underground nightclub could be released from federal custody on Friday. Juan Gabriel Orona-Rodriguez, 28, a Staff Sergeant in the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team in the 4th Infantry Division, was arrested on May 1 by FBI Denver special agents. He is charged with one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. Miniscule number of migrants smuggle drugs, survey of CBP data shows He is scheduled to appear dressed for release on Friday at 10 a.m. for a bond release hearing after arguments were held Thursday on the conditions of his bond. Those conditions are not provided in online federal court records. Orona-Rodriguez was 'one of approximately 17 active-duty U.S. Army service members' at an underground Colorado Springs nightclub that was subject to a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration raid on April 27, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado. He also allegedly provided security services at the club. 'Orona-Rodriguez appears to hold a leadership role in a business called Immortal Security LLC, which provides armed security at 'nightclubs' – including an afterhours, unlawful nightclub called Warike – within Colorado Springs, Colorado,' a U.S. attorney's office release announcing Orona-Rodriguez's arrest and charges stated. 'On numerous occasions, 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 crime.' According to an arrest affidavit, Orona-Rodriguez had been told by commanding officers in March that 'Immortal Security Operation LLC is off limits to members of the Armed Forces.' Specifically, he was told, according to the affidavit, ''…you are prohibited in engaging in off-duty employment without the approval of the Battalion Commander IAW 4ID…' Rodriguez received more than a dozen Army awards during his almost nine years in service, including an Army Commendation Medal with combat device, which is earned during a deployment where the soldier was 'performing meritoriously under the most arduous combat conditions,' according to Army descriptions of the award. 18 people removed from US after Colorado Springs nightclub raid, 86 still in ICE custody: ICE The attorney's office said Orona-Rodriguez sold cocaine to an undercover DEA agent in April. After obtaining a search warrant for Orona-Rodriguez's phone, the investigation found text messages dating back to September 2024, which appeared to show him purchasing and selling cocaine. According to an arrest affidavit, agents executed the search warrant on April 10. The court document outlines conversations allegedly discussing drug sales dating back several months. The same document describes how FBI and DEA agents conducted a controlled purchase from Orona-Rodriguez on April 21 and 22 near the military member's home in Colorado Springs. The substance that was purchased tested presumptively positive for the presence of cocaine and was submitted to a DEA laboratory for testing. Although he is not facing any charges, the arrest affidavit says that throughout September 2024, Orona-Rodriguez was texting with an undocumented immigrant about the sale of firearms. The affidavit says the investigators believed the payment for the purchase was made partially of cocaine and partially of cash. The affidavit also includes a photo of a Glock handgun with a high-capacity magazine that was allegedly texted by Orona-Rodriguez to the immigrant in September 2024. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Yahoo
Soldier charged with cocaine distribution after Colorado club raid
DENVER — A soldier present at an after-hours nightclub where more than 100 immigrants suspected of being in the U.S. illegally were taken into custody last weekend has been charged with distributing cocaine, court records show. Staff Sgt. Juan Gabriel Orona-Rodriguez, who is assigned to Fort Carson, an Army post near the illegal club in Colorado Springs, was arrested Wednesday evening, the FBI said in a statement. Orona-Rodriquez has been charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, according to an arrest affidavit. It said he allegedly sold cocaine to an undercover agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration days before the raid. It wasn't immediately known if Orona-Rodriguez — a member of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team in the 4th Infantry Division — had a lawyer ahead of an expected court appearance Thursday. The FBI said the arrest followed an investigation by the DEA, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and officials at Fort Carson. More than 300 law enforcement officers and officials from multiple agencies participated in Sunday's operation at the nightclub, which had been under investigation for months for alleged activities including drug trafficking, prostitution and 'crimes of violence,' said Jonathan Pullen, special agent in charge of the DEA's Rocky Mountain Division. Cocaine was among the drugs found, Pullen said at a news conference. Orona-Rodriquez was one of about 17 active-duty U.S. Army service members who were at the club, known as Warike, when it was raided early Sunday, the affidavit said. He appears to have held a leadership role in a business that provides armed security at nightclubs, including at Warike, according to the document. However, it did not say whether he was working security there at the time of the raid. It notes that he had been warned by his commanding officer this spring that he could not work for the security company. Rodriguez received more than a dozen Army awards during his almost nine years in service, including an Army Commendation Medal with combat device, which is earned during a deployment where the soldier was 'performing meritoriously under the most arduous combat conditions,' according to Army descriptions of the award. Of the 17 soldiers who were at the venue at the time of the raid, 16 were patrons and one was working there in a security role, a U.S. official said on the condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. Sixteen of the soldiers there were assigned to Fort Carson, the official did not know where the seventeenth was assigned. Investigators suspect Orona-Rodriguez was getting cocaine from an unidentified Mexican citizen who is 'unlawfully present in the United States without admission,' according to the affidavit. President Donald Trump posted a link to the DEA video of the raid on his social media site, Truth Social. 'A big Raid last night on some of the worst people illegally in our Country — Drug Dealers, Murderers, and other Violent Criminals, of all shapes and sizes,' the president wrote. Associated Press writer Tara Copp in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
USA Today
02-05-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Army soldier arrested in Colorado nightclub raid charged with distributing cocaine
Army soldier arrested in Colorado nightclub raid charged with distributing cocaine Show Caption Hide Caption May Day protests against the Trump admin expected today nationwide Protests planned coast-to-coast today aim to challenge the Trump administration over its policies on things like immigration, job cuts, and more. Scripps News A U.S. Army soldier who was present at an illegal nightclub in Colorado where over 100 people suspected of being in the country unlawfully were detained has been arrested on federal drug charges, authorities said. Staff Sgt. Juan Gabriel Orona-Rodriguez was assigned to Fort Carson, an Army post south of the underground nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Denver said. FBI special agents arrested Orona-Rodriguez, 28, on April 30. A criminal complaint alleges that Orona-Rodriguez had illegally distributed controlled substances while serving as an active-duty Army soldier. Prosecutors accused Orona-Rodriguez of selling cocaine to an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agent during the week of the raid. After obtaining a search warrant for Orona-Rodriguez's phone, prosecutors said investigators discovered text messages between September 2024 and April 2025 that appeared to show him conspiring with others to purchase and distribute the drug. He was charged by complaint with one count each of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado said in a news release May 1. The DEA's Rocky Mountain Division, the Army Criminal Investigation Division, and Fort Carson officials assisted in the investigation and facilitated Orona-Rodriguez's arrest on the evening of April 30, according to the FBI. Fort Carson did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on May 1. He won asylum and voted for Trump. Now his family may have to leave. About 17 service members were present at the underground nightclub More than 300 officers and agents from multiple federal and local law enforcement agencies were involved in an overnight raid at the Colorado Springs nightclub, known as Warike, on April 27. Colorado Springs Police Department Chief Adrian Vasquez said the raid was a "result of a months-long investigation into serious criminal activity in our community." Over 200 people had been inside the nightclub for an "illegal party" when officers and agents entered the building, according to the DEA. The agency said it warned people inside the building to come out before arrests began at around 3:45 a.m. local time. Orona-Rodriguez was one of about 17 active-duty Army service members present at the nightclub during the raid, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Some of the service members were patrons, according to DEA Rocky Mountain Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Pullen. Prosecutors alleged that Orona-Rodriguez appeared to have held a leadership role at a business that provides armed security at nightclubs — "including an after-hours, unlawful nightclub called Warike." "On numerous occasions, 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 crime," the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Trump's first 100 days: Here's 100 things that have changed (so far) DEA: More than 100 undocumented immigrants arrested at nightclub The DEA said 114 people, who are believed to be in the U.S. unlawfully, were arrested and put on buses for processing and likely eventual deportation. The raid was one of the largest in terms of arrests since President Donald Trump took office in January and made immigration a signature issue for his presidency. Trump has launched a sweeping immigration crackdown, including deporting immigrants to an El Salvador prison, attempting to cancel birthright citizenship, and detaining international student activists and foreign travelers. Federal agencies have stepped up enforcement actions in recent months amid the president's push for mass deportations. The raid in Colorado Springs occurred after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the agency and state officials in Florida arrested nearly 800 people who were in the U.S. illegally over four days in what it called a "massive, multi-agency immigration enforcement crackdown." The U.S. Attorney's Office said the raid in Colorado Springs was part of "Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime." Contributing: Lauren Villagran and Ignacio Calderon USA TODAY; Reuters
02-05-2025
Soldier at a Colorado nightclub during an immigration raid charged with distributing cocaine
DENVER -- A soldier present at an after-hours nightclub where more than 100 immigrants suspected of being in the U.S. illegally were taken into custody appeared in court Thursday to face charges that he distributed cocaine. Staff Sgt. Juan Gabriel Orona-Rodriguez, who is assigned to Fort Carson, an Army post near the illegal club in Colorado Springs, was arrested Wednesday evening, the FBI said. He allegedly sold cocaine to an undercover agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration days before the raid and is accused of working with others to distribute the drug since around September, according to his arrest affidavit. Orona-Rodriguez — a member of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team in the 4th Infantry Division — was dressed in camouflage pants and a khaki T-shirt and held court documents in his handcuffed hands during his brief court hearing. He listened as the magistrate judge explained his rights and agreed to appoint a public defender to represent him. At the request of Assistant U.S. Attorney Garreth Winstead, Orona-Rodriguez will continue to be held until a hearing to discuss his detention on Tuesday. His lawyer, Josh Lilley, did not address the allegations against him during the hearing and declined to comment after the hearing, citing the public defenders' policy against speaking to the media. More than 300 law enforcement officers and officials from multiple agencies participated in Sunday's operation at the nightclub, which had been under investigation for months, said Jonathan Pullen, special agent in charge of the DEA's Rocky Mountain Division. Cocaine was among the drugs found, Pullen said at a news conference in Colorado Springs, whose leaders have declared that it is not a 'sanctuary city' for migrants. Orona-Rodriquez was one of about 17 active-duty U.S. Army service members who were at the club, known as Warike, when it was raided early Sunday, the affidavit said. He appears to have held a leadership role in a business that provides armed security at nightclubs, including at Warike, according to the document. However, it did not say whether he was working security there at the time of the raid. It notes that he had been warned by his commanding officer this spring that he could not work for the security company. According to the arrest affidavit, police received 911 calls related to the club 'citing a wide variety of alleged crimes, including weapons violations, assault, narcotics, and other violent crime.' Two people wanted in connection with criminal misdemeanor cases were also arrested during the raid, Colorado Springs police said. Colorado Springs mayor Yemi Mobolade, a political independent and Nigerian immigrant, has expressed support for the operation, which he said was the 'result of clear evidence of serious criminal conduct.' 'Our residents deserve to live in a city where the rule of law is upheld and where illegal behavior is met with firm and decisive action,' he said in a statement. President Donald Trump posted a link to the DEA video of the raid on his social media site, Truth Social. 'A big Raid last night on some of the worst people illegally in our Country — Drug Dealers, Murderers, and other Violent Criminals, of all shapes and sizes,' the president wrote. Rodriguez received more than a dozen Army awards during his almost nine years in service, including an Army Commendation Medal with combat device, which is earned during a deployment where the soldier was 'performing meritoriously under the most arduous combat conditions,' according to Army descriptions of the award. Of the 17 soldiers who were at the venue at the time of the raid, 16 were patrons and one was working there in a security role, a U.S. official said on the condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. Sixteen of the soldiers there were assigned to Fort Carson, the official did not know where the seventeenth was assigned. Investigators suspect Orona-Rodriguez was getting cocaine from an unidentified Mexican citizen who is 'unlawfully present in the United States without admission,' according to the affidavit.
San Francisco Chronicle
02-05-2025
- San Francisco Chronicle
Soldier at a Colorado nightclub during an immigration raid charged with distributing cocaine
DENVER (AP) — A soldier present at an after-hours nightclub where more than 100 immigrants suspected of being in the U.S. illegally were taken into custody appeared in court Thursday to face charges that he distributed cocaine. Staff Sgt. Juan Gabriel Orona-Rodriguez, who is assigned to Fort Carson, an Army post near the illegal club in Colorado Springs, was arrested Wednesday evening, the FBI said. He allegedly sold cocaine to an undercover agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration days before the raid and is accused of working with others to distribute the drug since around September, according to his arrest affidavit. Orona-Rodriguez — a member of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team in the 4th Infantry Division — was dressed in camouflage pants and a khaki T-shirt and held court documents in his handcuffed hands during his brief court hearing. He listened as the magistrate judge explained his rights and agreed to appoint a public defender to represent him. At the request of Assistant U.S. Attorney Garreth Winstead, Orona-Rodriguez will continue to be held until a hearing to discuss his detention on Tuesday. His lawyer, Josh Lilley, did not address the allegations against him during the hearing and declined to comment after the hearing, citing the public defenders' policy against speaking to the media. More than 300 law enforcement officers and officials from multiple agencies participated in Sunday's operation at the nightclub, which had been under investigation for months, said Jonathan Pullen, special agent in charge of the DEA's Rocky Mountain Division. Cocaine was among the drugs found, Pullen said at a news conference in Colorado Springs, whose leaders have declared that it is not a 'sanctuary city' for migrants. Orona-Rodriguez was one of about 17 active-duty U.S. Army service members who were at the club, known as Warike, when it was raided early Sunday, the affidavit said. He appears to have held a leadership role in a business that provides armed security at nightclubs, including at Warike, according to the document. However, it did not say whether he was working security there at the time of the raid. It notes that he had been warned by his commanding officer this spring that he could not work for the security company. According to the arrest affidavit, police received 911 calls related to the club 'citing a wide variety of alleged crimes, including weapons violations, assault, narcotics, and other violent crime.' Two people wanted in connection with criminal misdemeanor cases were also arrested during the raid, Colorado Springs police said. Colorado Springs mayor Yemi Mobolade, a political independent and Nigerian immigrant, has expressed support for the operation, which he said was the 'result of clear evidence of serious criminal conduct.' 'Our residents deserve to live in a city where the rule of law is upheld and where illegal behavior is met with firm and decisive action,' he said in a statement. President Donald Trump posted a link to the DEA video of the raid on his social media site, Truth Social. 'A big Raid last night on some of the worst people illegally in our Country — Drug Dealers, Murderers, and other Violent Criminals, of all shapes and sizes,' the president wrote. Rodriguez received more than a dozen Army awards during his almost nine years in service, including an Army Commendation Medal with combat device, which is earned during a deployment where the soldier was 'performing meritoriously under the most arduous combat conditions,' according to Army descriptions of the award. Of the 17 soldiers who were at the venue at the time of the raid, 16 were patrons and one was working there in a security role, a U.S. official said on the condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. Sixteen of the soldiers there were assigned to Fort Carson, the official did not know where the seventeenth was assigned. Investigators suspect Orona-Rodriguez was getting cocaine from an unidentified Mexican citizen who is 'unlawfully present in the United States without admission,' according to the affidavit. _____
