The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado has announced the sentencing of two Denver gang members involved in drug trafficking. Carlos Sanford-Valdez, also known as “Charlie Vuitton,” received a 240-month sentence followed by five years of supervised release for his role in distributing fentanyl and cocaine. His co-defendant, Kataina Jackson-Keeling, also known as “Tana Ten Birdz,” was sentenced to 120 months for his involvement.
According to plea agreements, from May 2022 to April 2023, Sanford-Valdez and Jackson-Keeling were part of a criminal network called the “Bird Gang” that sold large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine in the Denver Metro area. They traveled separately to Arizona to obtain fentanyl pills for distribution in Colorado.
Sanford-Valdez’s plea agreement detailed a trip on July 30, 2022, where he flew to Arizona to acquire fentanyl pills. Law enforcement intercepted an associate transporting approximately 60,000 pills back to Colorado. In another incident on August 19, 2022, authorities found a handgun and over 10,000 fentanyl pills during a search of Sanford-Valdez’s vehicle.
Jackson-Keeling’s plea agreement revealed that on November 14, 2022, he mailed a package containing over 10,000 fentanyl pills from Arizona to Colorado. The package was intercepted by law enforcement.
Investigators identified an automotive shop in Denver as a distribution point for the network. A search on November 17, 2022 recovered significant amounts of fentanyl and cocaine at various locations linked to Sanford-Valdez.
Both defendants have prior felony convictions related to drugs and firearms. United States Attorney Peter McNeilly emphasized the impact of organized crime networks like the “Bird Gang” on the community’s fentanyl crisis. He credited federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts with disrupting their operations.
Jonathan Pullen from the Drug Enforcement Administration highlighted their ongoing commitment against such criminal networks. Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas expressed appreciation for collaborative efforts in holding narcotics distributors accountable.
United States District Judge Charlotte Sweeney oversaw the sentencing proceedings. The investigation involved agents from multiple agencies including the DEA task force and local police departments. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Duncan led the prosecution.
