Hudson Valley Fireman Pleads Guilty in Drug Conspiracy Case

A former Hudson Valley firefighter and three others pleaded guilty to their roles in drug conspiracy cases.

On Thursday, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced Robert Dunham, 46, of Middletown pleaded guilty to criminal sale of a controlled substance and conspiracy; Kenneth Nunez, 39, of Spring Valley pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance; Joel Gamble, 44, of Cuddebackville pleaded guilty to conspiracy and criminal sale of a controlled substance; and Shawn Daniels, 52, of Middletown pleaded guilty to conspiracy. All the guilty pleas were in connection with the "Operation Bread, White and Blues" enforcement action.

Felony complaints show 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, officials say.

Law enforcement officials recovered more than $200,000, 25 handguns, one assault rifle, multiple rifles, 10 vehicles, two motorcycles, over 2.5 pounds of cocaine and 1,300 Fentanyl pills, according to police

Indictments arising from that enforcement action outlined 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.

Dunham, a former New York firefighter, was alleged to have been a member of both conspiracies. At the time that he pleaded guilty, Dunham admitted having possessed over two ounces of cocaine.

Nunez admitted to possessing more than four ounces of cocaine, which prosecutors argued he had transported into Orange County in furtherance of the conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

Gamble admitted to being a member of the conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

Daniels confessed to his involvement in the conspiracy to distribute pills containing narcotics.

The name of the operation referred to the co-conspirators use of the term “bread” to mean the 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.

“Narcotics trafficking is destroying the fabric of our society, killing our residents, and must be fought at every level,” Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said. “It is only through enforcement actions such as ‘Operation Bread, White and Blue’ that law enforcement is able to pursue those higher-level drug dealers and craftier offenders who attempt to insulate themselves from criminal liability by dealing drugs through intermediaries.”