Another 'Operation Hot Lunch' Gun And Drug Trafficking Sting Defendant Gets Time

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

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced last week that 55-year-old Owen Beckford, a/k/a Marvin Ottley, of Newburgh, was sentenced in Orange County Court to an aggregate term of 15 years in prison after his guilty pleas to operating as a major trafficker and second-degree conspiracy. As part of the sentence, he also forfeited $8,909.

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 26 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:

• '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

"Operation Hot Lunch stands as an example of the incredible work that can be accomplished by a dedicated team of investigators and prosecutors who aim to protect our communities from the devastation caused by narcotics and illegal firearms," DA Hoovler said. "I remain grateful to all the local, state and federal law enforcement officers who worked on this case and who risk their lives every day to keep us safe. In Orange County, we have committed to fighting the malignancy of narcotics and the violence we often see in the wake. We will not stop in our pursuit of drug and gun dealers and will continue to leverage all of our law enforcement partnerships to deliver justice on behalf of the residents 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, Beckford admitted to operating as a major trafficker, by acting as a "profiteer," and possessing within six months or less, cocaine having an aggregate value of $75,000 or more, and also to participating in a conspiracy to distribute narcotics.

Police recovered 9.5 kilograms of cocaine from the City of Newburgh apartment that Beckford was using to store his narcotics during the investigation.

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.

"Owen Beckford engaged in the illegal trafficking of firearms and narcotics for personal financial gain, prioritizing profit over public safety," Special Agent in Charge of the ATF New York Field Division Bryan DiGirolamo said. "Following an extensive investigation, this trafficking network has been dismantled, preventing further acts of violence and the distribution of dangerous drugs within our communities. ATF New York, in partnership with law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local levels, remains committed to protecting the public and disrupting criminal organizations that threaten community safety."