Juan Gabriel Orona-Rodriguez, a 28-year-old active-duty U.S. Army soldier, faces charges of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, as well as conspiracy to distribute cocaine, as announced by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. Investigations revealed that during the week of April 21, 2025, Orona-Rodriguez sold cocaine to an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent and was found to have text messages indicative of ongoing involvement in cocaine transactions from September 16, 2024, to April 9, 2025.
Orona-Rodriguez is reportedly in a leadership position at Immortal Security LLC, which provides armed security services to nightclubs, including an unlawful after-hours nightclub named Warike in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The club has been associated with various alleged criminal activities such as weapons violations, assault, and narcotics-related incidents. On April 27, 2025, a federal search warrant executed by the DEA at Warike found Orona-Rodriguez present with approximately 17 other active-duty U.S. Army service members.
The Denver Field Office of the FBI and the DEA’s Colorado Springs Resident Office are leading the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Houlihan is prosecuting the case. This legal action is part of Operation Take Back America, which aims to combat illegal immigration and eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
The complaint's charges are unproven allegations, and Orona-Rodriguez is presumed innocent until proven guilty.