Another 'Operation Hot Lunch' Defendant Gets Served Prison, NC Man Sent Guns From GA To The Hudson Valley

ORANGE COUNTY, NY — Operation "Hot Lunch" has delivered another lengthy prison sentence in Orange County.

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that 34-year-old William Pulley, of Hollister, North Carolina, was sentenced on Monday to an aggregate term of 12 years in prison to be followed by five years of post-release supervision related to his guilty pleas to first-degree criminal sale of a firearm, and fourth-degree conspiracy.

On May 21, 2024, the now-famous, multi-jurisdiction sting followed a months-long investigation into firearm and narcotics trafficking, centered around a food truck in Newburgh. The operation, code named "Hot Lunch," resulted in 33 suspects being charged with narcotics, firearm, and conspiracy offenses. It is believed to be the largest narcotics and gun trafficking case in the history of Orange County.

SEE ALSO:

• Another 'Operation Hot Lunch' Gun And Drug Trafficking Sting Defendant Gets Time
• 'Operation Hot Lunch' Gun And Drug Trafficking Sting Defendant Gets 15 Years
  
• 'Operation Hot Lunch' Food Truck Trafficking Sting: Latest Conviction
• Latest Defendant Admits Guilt In 'Operation Hot Lunch' Case
• Food Truck Trafficker In 'Operation Hot Lunch' Sting Admits Guilt
• Defendant Gets Prison In 'Operation Hot Lunch' Case
• Food-Truck Trafficking: 33 Accused In 'Operation Hot Lunch' By DA

"If you cause illegal firearms to be sold in Orange County, you will be prosecuted even if you never set foot in New York," DA Hoovler said. "Sophisticated criminal organizations that traffic in guns and drugs pose a real and present danger to our communities and we in law enforcement will not rest until those crime drivers responsible for these enterprises are identified and held accountable. Successful operations such as 'Hot Lunch' require the close coordination between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. This collaboration leads to excellent outcomes, like was seen in this case. I again commend the dedication of the police and prosecutors assigned to the case who delivered justice on behalf of the People of Orange County."

The six-month-long probe 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.

According to court documents, Operation Hot Lunch found that Kirkland Salmon was at the center of four different conspiracies to traffic narcotics and firearms through Orange County.

He was supplied with 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 by Andre Smith to resell in Orange County.

Over six months, law enforcement learned of Beckford and Arnold's narcotics distribution organizations, both of which distributed cocaine in the City of Newburgh and elsewhere in Orange County. During the operation, law enforcement recovered 24 firearms and one kilogram of cocaine.

On the day of the enforcement action on May 21, police also recovered over 11 kilograms of cocaine, around 90 grams of fentanyl, seven guns, high-capacity magazines, several rounds of ammunition, an estimated $45,000 in US currency, scales and packaging materials used in narcotics trafficking, and 10 vehicles that were used in the crimes charged. In addition, a food truck was seized.

Prosecutors say that during plea proceedings, Pulley admitted that he acted with others to unlawfully sell more than ten 10 firearms in Orange County between November 28, 2023 and May 8, 2024.

Investigators say that Pulley obtained firearms to sell in North Carolina and agreed with others to have those sold illegally in Orange County. During the commission of the crimes, Pulley never actually came into Orange County, but knew he was acting illegally to have those firearms delivered to and sold in Orange County.

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

"This sentencing underscores a clear and unequivocal message: illegal firearms trafficking will not be tolerated. ATF, in partnership with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, remains firmly committed to safeguarding the public from violent gun crime and dismantling networks that funnel firearms to individuals legally prohibited from possessing them," Special Agent in Charge of the ATF New York Field Division Bryan DiGirolamo said. "Disrupting illegal gun trafficking is a cornerstone of ATF's mission, and this case exemplifies the strong collaboration between ATF and the Orange County District Attorney's Office, as well as our shared dedication to enhancing public safety."