DENVER — A decorated U.S. Army staff sergeant based at Fort Carson was arrested on federal drug charges Wednesday, the FBI's Denver office announced Thursday morning.
Juan Gabriel Orona-Rodriguez faces charges connected to the alleged distribution of cocaine, according to the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Army Criminal Investigations Division and Fort Carson officials helped the FBI with the arrest Wednesday.
"We are aware the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of Army CID, took a Fort Carson Soldier into custody," a Fort Carson official said in a statement Thursday. "We will continue to cooperate with all agencies involved."
Orona-Rodriguez is on active duty, assigned to the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. He's served more than 8 years and has received numerous awards, according to the official.
The announcement comes on the heels of this week’s large-scale federal operation in Colorado Springs, in which some active duty service members were detained in connection to an illegal nightclub. Denver7 Investigates reported 17 service members were at the club, with eight working security.
The Army confirmed that service members from its base in Fort Carson were present. It was not clear how many service members were detained or suspected of illegal activity.
The FBI did not say whether Orona-Rodriguez’s arrest was connected to the Sunday morning raid.
Denver7 Investigates was on the scene at around 3 a.m. when more than 300 law enforcement officers from 10 federal agencies raided the club. According to the DEA, more than 100 people were detained at the underground club allegedly linked to drug trafficking, prostitution and violence.
Denver7 Investigates
Some active duty military among those detained in Colorado Springs DEA bust
The owner of the building, Mike Moon, said he was ‘shocked’ after learning the property was allegedly used as an illegal nightclub.
“I've never even seen a lot of trash in the parking lot to even suspect that anything like an after-hours nightclub is going on. So, it's pretty shocking,” Mike Moon, the owner of the property, said
This is a developing story and will be updated.
— FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) May 1, 2025
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