33 Defendants Charged with Counts Related to the Possession and Sale of Narcotics and Guns

Investigation Included Use of Judicially Authorized Wiretaps, Undercover Officers and the Execution of Search Warrants

Takedown Dismantled $3 Million Per Year Cocaine Ring

Largest Gun Trafficking Case in Orange County History

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced the coordinated efforts of numerous law enforcement agencies conducting an enforcement action after a long-term investigation into firearm and narcotics trafficking in Orange County.  The operation, code named “Hot Lunch”, resulted in the arrests of twenty-six (26) people charged with narcotics, firearm and conspiracy offenses.  Two (2) individuals are pending extradition from other states and one (1) is in ICE custody.  Law enforcement is asking for the public’s assistance in locating the four (4) individuals who are wanted on charges stemming from the investigation.

A six (6) month long intensive investigation into illegal firearms and narcotics trafficking in Orange County was conducted by the Orange County Drug Task Force (OCDTF), the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, together with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the City of Middletown Police Department, New York State Police, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, and the Hudson Valley Crime Analysis Center.  As alleged in documents filed and statements made in court, the investigation revealed that Kirkland Salmon was at the center of four different conspiracies to traffic narcotics and firearms through Orange County. Salmon was supplied with quantities of cocaine by two different narcotics suppliers, Owen Beckford a/k/a Marvin Ottley and Joshua Arnold, to distribute from his food truck parked in the City of Newburgh. Salmon was also supplied with firearms to resell in Orange County by Andre Smith.  Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement learned of Beckford’s and Arnold’s narcotics distribution organizations, both of which distributed cocaine in the City of Newburgh and elsewhere in Orange County.  During the investigation, law enforcement recovered twenty-four (24) firearms and one (1) kilogram of cocaine.  On the day of the enforcement action on May 21, 2024, police additionally recovered over eleven (11) kilograms of cocaine, approximately ninety (90) grams of fentanyl, seven (7) guns, high-capacity magazines, numerous rounds of ammunition, approximately $45,000 of US currency, scales and packaging materials used in narcotics trafficking and ten (10) vehicles that were instrumentalities of the crimes charged.  Additionally, law enforcement seized one food truck.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the agencies involved in the investigation, as well as the following agencies who assisted in the enforcement action on May 21, 2024: City of Newburgh Police Department; Town of Newburgh Police Department; Town of Woodbury Police Department; Town of Montgomery Police Department; Town of Wallkill Police Department; and the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson Police Department.

“The scope and scale of these interweaving conspiracies underscores the importance of dedicated, long-term investigations to disrupt and dismantle operations that traffic in narcotics and guns,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we have reaffirmed our commitment to keeping our streets safe from the scourge of drugs and the violence that is too often found in the wake.  As I have said time and again, if you choose to bring illegal firearms into Orange County, we will find you and we will hold you accountable.  We will not rest while high-level narcotics dealers attempt to bring dangerous drugs and guns into our county.  We will utilize every resource available to seek out those drivers of crime and to hold them responsible for their deadly business.”

“The success of this investigation was largely due to the dedication and cooperation of all 39 law enforcement agencies involved.  These dangerous drugs and illegal firearms cause havoc and devastation in our communities.  The Sheriff’s Office will continue to push its resources towards combating these serious crimes and holding these criminals accountable,” said Orange County Sheriff Paul Arteta.

“Reducing violent crime is one of ATF’s core missions,” said Special Agent in Charge of the ATF New York Field Division Bryan Miller.  “Our expertise in combatting firearms trafficking allows ATF to act as a force multiplier for our law enforcement partners to provide cutting edge crime gun intelligence. Illegal firearms trafficking knows no state boundaries. ATF will continue to utilize its cross-jurisdictional partnerships to identify traffickers and staunch the flow of crime guns into law abiding communities. ATF is committed to working with our law enforcement partners, and is grateful to the hardworking ATF agents of the NY Hudson Valley Field Office, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, the City of Newburgh’s Police Department. ATF is proud to support our state prosecution partners like District Attorney Hoovler and his team of ADAs, who are tirelessly committed to the pursuit of justice.”

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Alexis Gregory and Amanda M. Bettinelli.

A criminal charge is merely an allegation by the police that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.