A Nevada man, Joseph R. Quinones of Reno, has been hit with a 150-month prison term for firearms offenses, United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson announced. Quinones, who at 31 years old, had a prior felony that precluded him from owning a gun, was sentenced by Chief Judge Holly A. Brady of the United States District Court after a guilty plea for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Following his lengthy prison sentence, he’s also slated for 2 years of supervised release.
Back in November 2023, Quinones was involved in an incident where he threatened staff at a Fort Wayne fast-food outlet, upset over a menu issue. Specifically, when denied lunch items during breakfast hours, Quinones brandished a loaded firearm, leading to his arrest by local law enforcement near the establishment. This arrest and subsequent charge were spearheaded by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Wayne Police Department, with Assistant United States Attorney Teresa L. Ashcraft handling the prosecution.
The case against Quinones is part of the larger initiative, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to slash violent crime and gun violence. The Department of Justice rejuvenated PSN in May 2021, introducing a strategy to invigorate crime reduction. The retooled PSN’s focus encompasses fostering trust in communities, backing organizations that work to preclude violence, establishing strategic enforcement goals, and tracking the outcomes.
