New York State Police announce arrests in Cocaine and narcotic pills distribution conspiracy cases

The New York State Police announced on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, that twenty-nine defendants have been charged in an enforcement action dubbed “Operation Bread, White and Blues”.  Three defendants have been charged with the Class A-I felony of Operating as a Major Trafficker, including a paid Lieutenant of the City of Middletown Fire Department. Felony complaints filed in conjunction with the enforcement action outline two separate conspiracies, one of which primarily involves members and associates of self-professed “outlaw” motorcycle clubs trafficking cocaine, and another of which involves the sale of narcotic pills which were represented to contain oxycodone, but which contained fentanyl, a highly addictive and frequently lethal narcotic. Two defendants, Paul Smith and Robert Dunham, are alleged to be members of both conspiracies.   The name of the operation refers to the co-conspirators use of the term “bread” to mean money they obtained through the sale of narcotics, “white” to represent the cocaine which was sold, and “blues” to represent the blue colored pills which were being trafficked. Most of the defendants were arrested in a series of early morning raids and search warrant executions which occurred on Tuesday, February 5, 2019.

On February 5, 2019, members of the New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team aided by the New York State Police Special Operations Response Team and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, executed multiple search warrants and made over twenty arrests throughout Orange County, and Rockland County.  The arrests and search warrant executions were as a result of a six-month-long narcotics investigation. Law enforcement officials recovered more than $200,000, 25 handguns, one assault rifle, multiple rifles, ten vehicles, two motorcycles, over 2.5 pounds of cocaine and 1300 Fentanyl pills.

Paul Smith, 48, of Deerpark, a paid Lieutenant of the City of Middletown Fire Department, has been charged with crimes including Operating as a Major Trafficker. and is alleged to have been a member of both conspiracies. Search warrants were executed at the City of Middletown Fire Department. He is also being charged with Attempted Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance First Degree; Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance Second Degree; and Conspiracy Second Degree.

Robert Dunham, 46 of Middletown has been charged with crimes including Conspiracy Second Degree and Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance Second Degree, 4 counts, and is alleged to have been a member of both conspiracies.

Marquis Gamble, 34, of Nyack, has been charged with crimes including Operating as Major Trafficker, and is alleged to have been a “profiteer” in the conspiracy to sell cocaine. It is alleged that it was Gamble’s role in the conspiracy to provide cocaine to other members of the conspiracy. He is also being charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance First Degree; and Conspiracy Second Degree.

John Beltempo, 49, of New Windsor, who previously worked for the Village of Spring Valley Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s office and the Town of Wallkill Police Department was charged with Conspiracy Second Degree and is alleged to have participated in the conspiracy to sell cocaine.

On December 31, 2018, Kenneth Nunez, 39, of Spring Valley, was arrested and charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance First Degree on December 31, 2018. A subsequent felony complaint charges him with Conspiracy Second Degree and it alleges that this cocaine had been given to him by Marquis Gamble to deliver to Paul Smith.

Garry Michel, 48, of the Town of Wallkill, has been charged with crimes including Operating as a Major Trafficker, and is alleged to have been a “profiteer” in the conspiracy to sell narcotic pills, which were marketed to buyers as containing oxycodone, but which contained fentanyl.  The pills were colored, stamped, and marked to appear to be oxycodone pills. He was additionally charged with Conspiracy Second Degree.

Those being charged with Conspiracy Second Degree in this enforcement action in connection with the conspiracyto possess and sell cocaine include:

Those charged in this enforcement action in connection with the conspiracy to possess and sell pills containing narcotics include:

Additionally, Sunshine Wall, age 40, of Cuddebackville, NY was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance Seventh Degree and Nicholas V. Ciccone, age 47, of Port Jervis was charged with Criminal Impersonation and Parole Absconder.

The New York State Police and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office are requesting the public’s assistance in locating the following individuals;

CHARLES KAVANAUGH  Age 31             Newburgh, NY
GARY CALDWELL              Age 33            Wappingers, NY
JUSTIN ANTONA                 Age 27            Slate Hill, NY
ANDREW BENDIG              Age 23            Middletown, NY

The New York State Police were assisted by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.