33 people charged in Orange County's largest illegal weapons, cocaine investigation

Six months after the investigation began, local, state and federal law enforcement agencies say they have charged 33 people in connection with a vast illegal gun and drug trafficking ring.

Orange County Prosecutor David Hoovler said it was the largest gun and cocaine trafficking case in Orange County history.

“We’ve never seen this level of sophistication and we’ve never seen this level of structuring,” he said.

Police have arrested 26 people, two others are awaiting extradition from other states and one is in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Police are asking for the public's help in locating four other suspects.

A total of 39 different agencies were involved in the investigation, dubbed “Hot Lunch” because it centered around a food truck parked in front of the Newburgh City Courthouse.

“He sold food, guns and cocaine,” Hoover said.

According to law enforcement, William Pulley was behind the illegal weapons in Orange County from his home in North Carolina. Pulley allegedly sold the guns to two men locally, Andre Smith and Kirk Buckley. The two men allegedly sold the weapons to Kirkland Salmon, who is accused of distributing them from his “Real Spice” food truck.

Authorities said massive amounts of cocaine were brought into Orange County through Chris McDonald, who lived in Florida and supplied it to Owen Beckford in Newburgh. Beckford is accused of supplying the drugs to Salmon, who also sold the drugs from his truck.

“These dangerous drugs and illegal firearms are causing havoc and havoc in our communities,” Orange County Sheriff Paul Arteta said.

Prosecutors allege Beckford also sourced drugs locally from a man named Josh Arnold of Newburgh, while Beckford could not obtain them from Florida.

Once distributed, the drugs and guns were circulated among dozens of other suspects in Orange County and parts of the Hudson Valley.

Investigators recovered more than 25 pounds of cocaine, 3 ounces of fentanyl, 31 weapons including ghost guns, $45,000 and seized 11 vehicles, including the food truck, during the takedown itself on Tuesday, May 21 .

“Orange County residents deserve to be safe from the dangers posed by illegal narcotics, trafficking rings, and the guns that inevitably result from them,” said Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau American alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives.

Authorities estimate the cocaine ring sold more than $3 million worth of drugs in and around Orange County.