BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — When Theodore Richards III sent a message that read “39 girls and 6 boys,” he wasn’t referring to children.

“Girls” meant kilograms of cocaine, according to federal authorities; “boys” referred to kilograms of fentanyl.

Both Richards and Demond Hayden, from Bakersfield and linked to a local Crips gang, were involved in a multi-state drug trafficking organization with ties to drug cartels in Mexico and Colombia, authorities say in court filings. They’re charged in federal court in Massachusetts.

“The investigation has found evidence tying the Richards (drug trafficking organization) to various states, including, but not limited to, Massachusetts, California, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, North Dakota, Washington, D.C., Missouri and Michigan,” according to the filings.

Hayden was charged June 16; Richards was indicted last year.

Authorities say Richards headed the organization and Hayden was a distributor.

Drugs and money

Huge sums of money were involved.

In one instance, Hayden wrote he owed Richards $1,092,000 for a shipment of “39 girls” — fentanyl which he sold at $28,000 a kilogram, the filings say.

Richards, who also went by “Mickey,” sent shipments of fentanyl to another defendant stamped with the image of Mickey Mouse, according to a video made by Richards which is described in the filings.

Hayden referred to Richards in messages as “Big Bro,” and saved a contact on his phone as “Big Bro Lawyer.” The number was for the attorney representing Richards, authorities say.

In December 2023, Richards, Hayden and others in the organization met for a party at what Richards described as his “compound” in Bakersfield, according to the filings.

Drug shipments linked to Richards were seized in 2025 in Chicago, Illinois and Dayton, Ohio, authorities say, and a shipment connected to both Richards and Hayden was seized in Columbus, Ohio in July 2025.

Photos on Richards’ phone showed large amounts of drugs laid out on the floor, authorities say.

“Based on the investigation, I believe it is a practice of Richards’ drug trafficking organization, and Richards himself, to send photographs of bulk drug shipments to the respective recipients in the conspiracy who would then distribute the controlled substances in their respective areas of the United States,” an investigator wrote.

Hayden’s cellphones also contained photos and videos of drugs and cash — and chat messages suggesting “large scale drug trafficking activity,” according to the filings.

Setting prices, getting rich

Hayden and Richards discussed adjusting drug mixtures and what prices to set, authorities say.

A sample message from Richards: “46 on the 77 and new 888, 45 on the 888. the 400 it cost me more even more (sic) but let’s test at 46 and see what it’s really something I should be charging 50.”

What Richards was telling Hayden, authorities say, was to charge $46,000 for fentanyl kilograms marked “77”, and to use the same price for new fentanyl kilograms marked “888.”

Older packaged kilograms of fentanyl marked “888” should be sold for $45,000, Richards said according to authorities.

In the second line, Richards was telling Hayden fentanyl kilograms marked “400” cost him more to purchase, but Hayden should sell them at $46,000 per kilogram despite Richards’ belief they could go as high as $50,000 per kilogram.

“The 400 supposed to be more powerful but we shall see,” Richards wrote.

Authorities say it appeared both men expected to become wealthy.

Hayden had a note titled “Million Dollar Recipe” on his phone with a recipe for mixing fentanyl with cutting agents and the statement, “The recipe to get rich as f—,” according to the filings.

Richards wrote messages saying “. . . we about to get super rich. I feel it,” and “We got irons in the fire,” according to the filings.

He told Hayden, “You got what it take (sic),” authorities say.

“I’m going to turn you into an American icon,” he wrote.

Richards’ next hearing is July 24. A hearing date wasn’t listed for Hayden.

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