Food-Truck Trafficking: 33 Accused In 'Operation Hot Lunch' By DA

ORANGE COUNTY, NY — A food truck is at the center of a long-term investigation into firearm and narcotics trafficking in Orange County that has resulted so far in the arrests of 26 people, the District Attorney's Office announced.

Two more suspects are pending extradition from other states and one is in ICE custody, prosecutors said. In addition, police and prosecutors seek the public’s help in locating four more people who are wanted on charges stemming from the investigation: Laura McLaren-Bailey, Anthony Nelson, Larry Oates and Shantorian Towles.

The operation code-named “Hot Lunch” was a 6-month long intensive investigation into illegal firearms and narcotics trafficking in Orange County that turned up a cocaine ring pulling in about $3 million a year and also became the largest gun trafficking case in the county's history, prosecutors said.

"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 ofdrugs and the violence that is too often found in the wake."

Investigators accused one suspect, Kirkland Salmon, of being at the center of several conspiracies to traffic narcotics and firearms through Orange County, according to the DA's Office.

Prosecutors alleged Salmon was supplied with quantities of cocaine by two different narcotics suppliers to distribute from his food truck, which was parked in the City of Newburgh. Salmon was also supplied with firearms to resell, prosecutors said.

Through the investigation, police learned of narcotics distribution organizations that distributed cocaine in Newburgh and elsewhere in Orange County, and accused Joshua Arnold and Owen Beckford (a/k/a Marvin Ottley) of running 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, about 90 grams of fentanyl, seven guns, high-capacity magazines, numerous rounds of ammunition, roughly $45,000 in US currency, scales and packaging materials used in narcotics trafficking and 10 vehicles used in the 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, 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.

He also commended the agencies that assisted in the enforcement action on May 21: 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 success of this investigation was largely due to the dedication and cooperation of all 39 law enforcement agencies involved," said Orange County Sheriff Paul Arteta. "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."

Here is a list of the suspects. If they were not arrested and arraigned in Orange County, it is noted:

• Arnold, Joshua - Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree
• Beckford, Kimani - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• Beckford, Owen a/k/a Marvin Ottley - Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree
• Berry, Mark -Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• Buckley, Kirk Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree. In ICE custody
• Cohen, Trishanna - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• Crossman, Zion - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• Eggeston, Sr., Shaka - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• Green, Matthew - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• Hinson, Carnell - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• Hrazanek, William - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• Jacklyn, Kadeem - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• Knight, Russell - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• Malave, Juan - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• Martinez, Rubin - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• Martinez, Ruperto - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• McDonald, Chris - Conspiracy in the Second Degree. Pending extradition from Florida
• McFarlane, Moyoa - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• McLaren-Bailey, Laura - Conspiracy in the Second Degree. Not arrested yet
• Muir, Jose - Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree
• Nelson, Anthony Conspiracy in the Second Degree. Not arrested yet
• Oates, Larry Conspiracy in the Second Degree. Not arrested yet
• Pulley, William Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree. Pending extradition from North Carolina
• Ramirez, Melvin - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• 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 - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• Scott, Brian - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• Selfridge, Chris - Conspiracy in the Second Degree
• 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 - Conspiracy in the Second Degree. Not arrested yet
• Williams, Otien - Conspiracy in the Second Degree

"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.”