Wife of man in jail for drug dealing also arrested on drug charges

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Yolanda Sol Quinones, 47, was arrested yesterday on a warrant and charged with one count of cocaine trafficking, two counts of cocaine possession, money laundering, maintaining a structure for drug trafficking, three counts of use of a 2-way device to facilitate a felony, conspiracy to sell drugs, and possession of drug equipment.

Quinones’ husband, Jorge Enrique Quinones Silva, was arrested in May on felony domestic battery charges and was being held on $380,000 bail. While he was in jail, recordings of his phone conversations with Yolanda Quinones (which were themselves violations of his pre-trial release condition to have no contact with his victim) were reviewed, and Quinones Silva allegedly gave his wife instructions on how to sell cocaine on his behalf, including details on how to package it and consign it to a neighbor, Gregorio Badillo, who would bring her Quinones Silva’s cut of the proceeds.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s Office deputy interviewed Yolanda Quinones, who was initially cooperative and said Quinones Silva had told her to give Badillo some of the cocaine and that Badillo would give her half the money from the sale. She said Badillo was supposed to sell the cocaine for $1200 and give her $600.

The deputy obtained a search warrant for Quinones Silva’s apartment, and the search reportedly produced over 150 grams of cocaine, scales, several cell phones, some cash, some counterfeit currency, and ammunition. A search of Badillo’s apartment found two rifles, several cell phones, over 50 grams of cocaine, cash, three handguns, and ammunition. Both Badillo and Quinones Silva are convicted felons who are prohibited from possessing firearms. Markings on the bags containing cocaine matched instructions that were given verbally during the phone call from the jail, leading to charges of conspiring to traffic drugs; Quinones has now been charged as part of that conspiracy.

Badillo was arrested in June, and additional charges were added for Quinones Silva at that time.

Quinones Silva is also serving a sentence for violating his pre-trial release conditions by talking to Quinones on the phone.

Quinones has no criminal history and is being held on $630,000 bail. Her husband and Badillo remain in the Alachua County Jail without bond.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.