In a significant crackdown on drug trafficking in the Denver area, two gang members have been handed federal prison terms for their roles in distributing fentanyl and cocaine. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado reported that Carlos Sanford-Valdez, also known as "Charlie Vuitton," 30, received a 240-month sentence, along with a five-year term of supervised release. His co-defendant, Kataina Jackson-Keeling, or "Tana Ten Birdz," 37, was sentenced to a 120-month term for his part in the conspiracy.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, from May 2022 to April 2023, the convicted Crip gang members were part of the “Bird Gang”, a criminal network involved in selling significant quantities of drugs. The plea agreements reveal that Sanford-Valdez and Jackson-Keeling made separate trips to Arizona to procure fentanyl pills, subsequently transporting them back to Colorado. Authorities arrested an associate of Sanford-Valdez with around 60,000 fentanyl pills en route to Colorado, showcasing the scale of the operation.
Law enforcement officials further thwarted the gang’s narcotics operation by uncovering an automotive shop in Denver as one of the distribution centers. Investigators recovered around 706 grams of fentanyl pills and 60 grams of fentanyl powder in a warrant-executed search of the premises. Sanford-Valdez, whose criminal history includes prior felony convictions related to drugs and firearms, was also found with a firearm, marijuana, and thousands in cash during separate police interactions. Jackson-Keeling's criminal background is also tainted with a 10-year sentence for aggravated robbery, wherein a victim was threatened at gunpoint.
Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas commended the effective collaboration between agencies, resulting in the arrest, conviction, and sentencing of the defendants. "This investigation, arrest, conviction and sentencing demonstrate our collective commitment to stopping the distribution of deadly drugs in our community and should serve as a warning to anyone who is or considering bringing illegal drugs into our city," Thomas professed. The investigation leading to the recent sentencing was a collaborative effort among the DEA, the Denver Police Department, and the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force, with Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Duncan handling the prosecution, as detailed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
