ROCHESTER, NY – Jose Rodriguez-Quinones, 42, is headed back to a federal prison cell after receiving a brutal 151-month sentence for flooding Rochester’s streets with fentanyl and cocaine, and for illegally packing heat while doing it. U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer delivered the sentence Wednesday, slamming the door on Rodriguez-Quinones’ latest attempt to profit from poison.
The bust went down March 10, 2022, when members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force caught up with Rodriguez-Quinones while he was already running from the law. He was on post-release supervision after previously serving a decade for conspiracy to distribute cocaine – clearly, a ten-year vacation didn’t teach him a lesson. Task force members located him inside a vehicle, and a search quickly revealed a mobile drug shop: 400 baggies of cocaine and a staggering 604 baggies of fentanyl, both pre-packaged for street-level distribution.
But the drugs weren’t the only things Rodriguez-Quinones was carrying. Law enforcement also recovered two loaded handguns. Considering Rodriguez-Quinones racked up felony convictions in New York State Court in 2000 and 2006, he was legally barred from possessing any firearms whatsoever. That didn’t stop him, and now he’s paying the price. Approximately $2,900 in cash was also seized, representing the dirty money earned from his criminal enterprise.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas E. Gregory, who prosecuted the case, clearly laid out the pattern of behavior. Rodriguez-Quinones isn’t a first-time offender; he’s a career criminal who repeatedly puts profit over people. The 151-month sentence reflects the severity of his crimes and the danger he posed to the Rochester community.
The investigation was a coordinated effort between the U.S. Marshals Service, led by Marshal Charles Salina, the United States Probation Office, under Chief Probation Officer Timothy C. Englerth, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito at the helm. These agencies worked together to track down Rodriguez-Quinones, dismantle his operation, and ensure he faces serious consequences for his actions.
Rodriguez-Quinones’ sentence serves as a stark warning: trafficking deadly drugs and illegally possessing firearms will not be tolerated in Western New York. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and gun violence in the region.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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