33 charged with gun and drug trafficking in Operation Hot Lunch: DA

ORANGE COUNTY, NY — A food truck is at the center of a long-term investigation into gun and drug trafficking in Orange County that has resulted in the arrests of 26 people so far, the district attorney's office announced.

Two other suspects are awaiting extradition from other states and one is in ICE custody, prosecutors said. Additionally, police and prosecutors are seeking the public's help in locating four other people wanted on charges stemming from the investigation: Laura McLaren-Bailey, Anthony Nelson, Larry Oates and Shantorian Towles.

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Operation Hot Lunch was an intensive 6-month investigation into illegal gun and drug trafficking in Orange County that revealed a cocaine ring grossing approximately $3 million a year and is also became the largest gun trafficking case in the county. story, prosecutors said.

“The scope and scale of these intertwined conspiracies underscore the importance of dedicated, long-term investigations to disrupt and dismantle drug and firearms trafficking operations,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler . “Together with our law enforcement partners, we have reaffirmed our commitment to protecting our streets from the scourge of drugs and the violence that too often results from them.”

Investigators have charged a suspect, Kirkland Salmon, with being at the center of several conspiracies to traffic drugs and firearms through Orange County, according to the district attorney's office.

Prosecutors alleged that Salmon received quantities of cocaine from two different narcotics suppliers to distribute from his food truck, parked in the town of Newburgh. Salmon also received firearms to resell, prosecutors said.

Through the investigation, police learned of the existence of narcotics distribution organizations that were distributing cocaine in Newburgh and elsewhere in Orange County, and charged Joshua Arnold and Owen Beckford (aka Marvin Ottley) with direct them. They accused Andre Smith of providing Salmon with the firearms.

During the investigation, law enforcement recovered 24 firearms and one kilogram of cocaine. On the day of the enforcement action on May 21, police also recovered more than 11 kilograms of cocaine, approximately 90 grams of fentanyl, seven firearms, high-capacity magazines, numerous cartridges, approximately $45,000 in currency American manufacturers, scales and packaging materials. used in drug trafficking and 10 vehicles used in criminal enterprises, prosecutors said.

Investigators also seized the food truck.

District Attorney David Hoovler thanked the agencies involved in the investigation, which was conducted by the Orange County Drug Task Force, the Orange County Sheriff's Office, the Bureau of Alcohol , tobacco, firearms and explosives, in conjunction with the Orange County District Attorney's Office, Middletown Police Department, New York State Police, City Police Department of Poughkeepsie and the Hudson Valley Crime Analysis Center.

He also commended the agencies that contributed to the May 21 enforcement action: the Newburgh City Police Department; Newburgh City Police Department; Woodbury City Police Department; Montgomery City Police Department; Wallkill City Police Department; and the Cornwall-on-Hudson Village Police Department.

“The success of this investigation is due in large part to the dedication and cooperation of the 39 law enforcement agencies involved,” Orange County Sheriff Paul Arteta said. “These dangerous drugs and illegal firearms are causing havoc and havoc in our communities. The Sheriff's Office will continue to mobilize its resources to combat these serious crimes and hold these criminals accountable.”

Here is a list of suspects. If they were not arrested and brought to justice in Orange County, we note:

• Arnold, Joshua – Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree
• Beckford, Kimani – Second degree conspiracy
• Beckford, Owen aka Marvin Ottley – Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree
• Berry, Mark – Second degree conspiracy
• Buckley, Kirk Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree. In ICE custody
• Cohen, Trishanna – Second Degree Conspiracy
• Crossman, Zion – Second Degree Conspiracy
• Eggeston, Sr., Shaka – Second Degree Conspiracy
• Green, Matthew – Second Degree Conspiracy
• Hinson, Carnell – Second Degree Conspiracy
• Hrazanek, William – Second degree conspiracy
• Jacklyn, Kadeem – Second Degree Conspiracy
• Knight, Russell – Second Degree Conspiracy
• Malave, Juan – Second degree conspiracy
• Martinez, Rubin – Second degree conspiracy
• Martinez, Ruperto – Second degree conspiracy
• McDonald, Chris – Second degree conspiracy. Awaiting extradition from Florida
• McFarlane, Moyoa – Second degree conspiracy
• McLaren-Bailey, Laura – Second degree conspiracy. Not yet stopped
• Muir, Jose – Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree
• Nelson, Anthony Second Degree Conspiracy. Not yet stopped
• Oates, Larry Second Degree Conspiracy. Not yet stopped
• Pulley, William Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree. Awaiting extradition from North Carolina
• Ramirez, Melvin – Second Degree Conspiracy
• Salmon, Dwayne Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree
• Salmon, Kirkland – Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree
• Santana, Henry – Second degree conspiracy
• Scott, Brian – Second Degree Conspiracy
• Selfridge, Chris – Second Degree Conspiracy
• Simpson, Tyrese – Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree
• Smith, Andre – Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree
• Towles, Shantorian – Second degree conspiracy. Not yet stopped
• Williams, Otien – Second degree conspiracy

“Reducing violent crime is one of the ATF's primary missions,” said Special Agent in Charge
Bryan Miller, ATF New York Field Division. “Our expertise in the fight against firearms trafficking
enables ATF to act as a force multiplier for our law enforcement partners to provide industry-leading services
information on criminal weapons. Illegal firearms trafficking knows no national borders. The ATF will continue
use its cross-jurisdictional partnerships to identify traffickers and stem the flow of crime
firearms in law-abiding communities.

“The ATF is committed to working with our law enforcement partners and is grateful to the hardworking ATF agents in the New York Hudson Valley Field Office, the Orange County Sheriff's Department and the Newburgh City Police Department. The ATF is proud to support our prosecution partners like Attorney Hoovler and his team at ADA, who are tirelessly committed to the pursuit of justice.