Denver Gang Members Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl and Cocaine

Two members of a Denver-based gang have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a large-scale drug trafficking operation involving fentanyl and cocaine. The sentencing follows a year-long investigation that exposed a criminal network operating between Colorado and Arizona.

Carlos Sanford-Valdez, 30, known by the alias "Charlie Vuitton," was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. His co-defendant, 37-year-old Kataina Jackson-Keeling, also known as "Tana Ten Birdz," received a 10-year prison term for participating in the drug conspiracy.

Authorities reported that from May 2022 to April 2023, both individuals—identified as members of the “Bird Gang,” a subset of the Crip gang—were involved in transporting and distributing large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine throughout the Denver area. Investigators revealed that the pair made multiple trips to Arizona to obtain fentanyl pills, which were then brought back to Colorado for distribution.

The scope of the operation became evident when one of Sanford-Valdez’s associates was intercepted en route to Colorado with approximately 60,000 fentanyl pills. The investigation also led law enforcement to an auto shop in Denver, which served as a base for drug distribution. A court-authorized search of the property yielded over 700 grams of fentanyl pills and 60 grams of fentanyl powder.

Sanford-Valdez, who has a prior record of felony drug and firearm offenses, was found in separate police encounters with a firearm, marijuana, and substantial cash—further linking him to narcotics activity. Jackson-Keeling’s criminal history includes a 10-year sentence for an aggravated robbery during which a victim was threatened at gunpoint.

The case was investigated by the DEA, the Denver Police Department, and the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force. Denver's police chief praised the collaborative effort, stating the successful outcome underscored a strong commitment to keeping deadly drugs off the streets.