ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Jose Rodriguez-Quinones, 42, is headed back to a federal cage after a harsh sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer. The career criminal was slammed with 151 months – over twelve and a half years – for possession with intent to distribute both cocaine and fentanyl, and for illegally packing heat as a convicted felon.
The bust went down March 10, 2022, when the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force finally caught up with Rodriguez-Quinones while he was already on the run. He’d skipped out on post-release supervision following a previous ten-year stretch for conspiring to move cocaine. The Task Force found him in a vehicle, and what they found in that vehicle was a serious problem: 400 baggies of cocaine, 604 baggies of fentanyl, all prepped for street sales, two loaded handguns, and nearly $2,900 in dirty money.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas E. Gregory didn’t pull any punches in court, reminding the judge of Rodriguez-Quinones’ extensive rap sheet. The feds pointed out prior felony convictions from New York State Court in 2000 and 2006, making the firearm charge a particularly egregious offense. He wasn’t just dealing poison; he was doing it while illegally armed – a recipe for disaster in a city already struggling with violence.
“This sentence sends a clear message,” stated U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross in a press release. (Though, let’s be real, these guys always say that.) “We will not tolerate individuals who repeatedly endanger our communities by trafficking deadly drugs and possessing illegal firearms.” The investigation wasn’t a solo act. The U.S. Marshals Service, the United States Probation Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives all chipped in to build the case.
Marshal Charles Salina, Chief Probation Officer Timothy C. Englerth, and Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito all deserve a nod for their teams’ work. But let’s not pretend this is a victory for public safety. Rodriguez-Quinones will eventually be back on the streets, and another dealer will take his place. The drug trade doesn’t stop for lengthy prison sentences.
This case highlights the relentless flow of fentanyl into upstate New York and the ongoing struggle to stem the tide. While 151 months might keep Rodriguez-Quinones off the streets for a while, it’s a temporary fix to a deeply rooted problem. Grimy Times will continue to track the movements of players like him – and the damage they inflict on our communities.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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