Several active duty military members working as armed security for an illegal alien gang underground nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado were busted during a DEA raid early Sunday morning; several other active duty military members patronizing the club were also detained according to a statement to reporters by DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge John Pullen. All told, over a dozen active duty service members were reportedly detained at the club. Pullen said that some of the military working security were involved in criminal activity at the club.
Screen image from video below showing various federal and local law enforcement agencies involved in the raid.
200+ inside an underground nightclub in CO Springs had their illegal party upended this am.#DEA RMFD, @ERODenver, @FBIDenver, @ATF_Denver, @HSIDenver, @CSPDPIO, @EPCSheriff & others seized drugs/guns. 100+ illegals arrested. pic.twitter.com/L5FOOyAlX3
— DEARockyMountain (@DEAROCKYMTNDiv) April 27, 2025
Pullen said “significant drug trafficking, prostitution” and “crimes of violence” took place at the club and that guns and drugs were seized during the raid. Out of over 200 hundred people at the club, over 100 illegal aliens were arrested and are being held by ICE.
Pullen said the raid was the result of a months long undercover investigation and that Tren de Aragua, MS-13 and Hells Angels gang members had been observed at the club during the investigation. Pullen could not immediately confirm if any gang members were detained in the raid.
Pullen: “So this is an underground illegal nightclub, okay? And what was happening inside was significant drug trafficking, prostitution, um, crimes of violence, we seized a number of guns in there. We had active uh duty service members who were uh, running security at the club and involved in some of these crimes. Um, and in fact we had uh, over a hundred illegal aliens inside as well and those over a hundred illegal aliens were taken into custody by ICE.”
Reporter: “Active duty service members helping as security here, can you elaborate on that at all?”
Pullen: “So it’s an ongoing investigation but um, we had over a dozen active duty service members in the, in the club tonight either as patrons or working as armed security.”
Reporter: “How many of those were detained and, and what are they facing right now?”
Pullen: “So, Army CID was one of our partners out here and they’re going to work with us on what the next steps for those active duty service members looks like.”
SKIP
Reporter: “Jonathan, you talked about ‘the investigation is ongoing’, but talk to me about, talk to us about the significance of active duty military being investigated for drug related crimes at this location.”
Pullen: “Yes, it’s obviously concerning to have active duty military involved. Um, we’re working with our partners at Army CID on that piece. Um, obviously where we are here in the Springs there’s a lot of military bases here so it’s not necessarily surprising, um, but we’re going to take that very seriously.”
SKIP
Reporter: “Real quick, can you confirm if those active duty were related to Fort Carson?”
Pullen: “I cannot.”
Transcribed by TGP.
Video excerpt posted by KMGH-TV:
WATCH: DEA Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Pullen describes the federal operation this morning at an illegal nightclub in Colorado Springs. Some active duty military, as well as gang members and many people in the U.S. illegally, were among those detained. pic.twitter.com/21PrvrBU7m
— Denver7 News (@DenverChannel) April 27, 2025
Video of complete briefing posted by KMGH:
UPDATE: Fox News reported on the status of the service members (excerpt):
About a dozen U.S. active-duty service members were also found at the club, special DEA Rocky Mountain agent Jonathan Pullen told multiple outlets. The service members were inside the club as patrons or working as armed security.
“I think that everybody that goes into a nightclub at 3 o’clock in the morning knows what they’re getting into,” Pullen said to Denver 7. “The active duty servicemembers who were there will be dealt with by Army CID [Criminal Investigation Division]. They were on scene with us, and they are partners in this investigation.”
DEA Rocky Mountain confirmed to Fox News that those active duty service members found at the club have so far been detained and are not under arrest at this time.
