Owen Beckford pleaded guilty, sentenced to 15 years in Operation Hot Lunch

A Newburgh man identified as Owen Beckford was sentenced to 15 years in state prison in Orange County Court in Goshen after pleading guilty to operating as a major trafficker and conspiracy in the second degree, court records and prosecutorial statements show. The sentence, imposed Jan. 28, follows a months‑long, multi‑agency investigation into large‑scale firearms and narcotics trafficking centered in Newburgh.

Beckford, described in court materials as a major supplier in the network, admitted at his plea that he acted as a “profiteer” and possessed, within a six‑month period, cocaine with an aggregate value of $75,000 or more. Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler’s office said police recovered 9.5 kilograms of cocaine from an apartment in the City of Newburgh that Beckford used to store narcotics during the investigation. The DA’s office also reported that Beckford was ordered to forfeit $8,909 as part of the sentence.

The case was developed as part of Operation Hot Lunch, a multi‑jurisdiction sting investigators say targeted trafficking that operated around a food truck in Newburgh. Agencies participating in the probe included local law enforcement partners and federal agents. The ATF’s New York field office emphasized the investigation’s public‑safety rationale: “Individuals who knowingly traffic multiple firearms fuel violence and place entire communities at risk. This sentencing underscores the importance of sustained investigative efforts aimed at dismantling firearms and drug trafficking networks at their source. ATF New York remains steadfast in its commitment to working alongside our partners at every level to stem the flow of illegal firearms and enhance public safety across our communities,” said Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF New York Field Division.

District Attorney Hoovler framed Beckford’s conduct in stark terms: “Beckford engaged in trafficking ‘for personal financial gain, prioritizing profit over public safety. Following an extensive investigation, this trafficking network has been dismantled, preventing further acts of violence and the distribution of dangerous drugs within our communities.’”

Reporting on counts and arrests tied to the May 2024 sweep varies: some accounts describe “more than two dozen” arrests, one source lists 26 people arrested, and another cites 33 suspects charged with narcotics, firearm, and conspiracy offenses. Prosecutors say Beckford supplied others who were arrested in the sweep; other named defendants in related prosecutions include Andre Smith, who has received a separate lengthy prison term for criminal sale of a firearm, and Russell Knight, who received a five‑ to ten‑year sentence.

Sources differ on Beckford’s age and on some timeline details; the DA’s office identifies him as a/k/a Marvin Ottley and stated he pleaded guilty in November 2024. For Orange County residents, the case is significant for its focus on the intersection of illegal guns and large‑scale cocaine distribution in the city of Newburgh and for the resources marshaled across local and federal agencies to dismantle the network.

What comes next for the community is continued monitoring of related prosecutions, verification of outstanding court records and forfeiture orders, and enforcement follow‑through to ensure seized assets and evidence are accounted for as trials and plea outcomes move through the docket.