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Ft. Carson sergeant was focus of embezzlement, sex cases

By Eileen Kelley
Special to The Denver Post





Fort Carson - A soldier who killed himself last month was the subject of a government embezzlement probe and had been arrested a week earlier in an Internet sex sting.

Police found the decomposed body of Sgt. 1st Class Andre McDaniel, 40, in a field in eastern El Paso County on Aug 28. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, the El Paso County coroner said.

McDaniel, a comptroller assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group, was being investigated by the U.S. military and the FBI on suspicion of embezzling $300,000, among other possible crimes, according to a Military Police report shared with The Denver Post.

On Aug. 23, authorities searched McDaniel's home in the upscale High Meadows neighborhood of Springs Ranch and found an unspecified number of new $100 bills, the report said.

McDaniel had returned from Iraq in June. In his job with the military, he had access to government money used to buy special supplies and to pay Iraqis for damaged property, injuries or information.

Officials at Fort Carson; at Fort Bragg, N.C., which is the headquarters of the Special Forces; and at the Army Criminal Investigation Command in Virginia would not comment on the embezzlement probe, other than to say it was continuing.

"The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command is currently assisting local authorities with the death investigation of Sfc. McDaniel," wrote Christopher Grey, the chief public affairs officer for the U.S. Army's Criminal Investigation Command, in response to a Denver Post inquiry. "We are also investigating circumstances prior to the soldier's death, but ... will not provide any details of the case to protect the integrity of the investigation."

FBI officials could not be reached for comment.

McDaniel enlisted in 1987 and served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

On Aug. 20, McDaniel was arrested in connection with an Internet sting operation by Cañon City police.

According to court records, McDaniel was talking online with a police officer posing as a 13-year-old girl and was arrested after making arrangements to meet her in Cañon City. At the time of his arrest, police said they confiscated condoms, alcohol, a switchblade and computer equipment.

McDaniel was released from the Fremont County Jail on Aug. 21 and was scheduled to appear in county court later this month.

McDaniel's father, Sidney McDaniel of Aurora, said that his family was struggling with the loss of a loved one and didn't have enough information to speak about the deceased soldier's life or legal troubles.