Tatiana Quinones has been charged with selling fentanyl from a day care in Green Bay. (Photo source: Brown County Jail)
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Tatiana Quinones allegedly sold 50 fentanyl pills to an undercover informant at an east-side daycare center. That center had its license revoked by the state, in part due to Quinones’ drug dealing, and the owner decided to close it permanently.
“Technically they do have the ability to appeal the decision and if they choose to appeal they can continue to operate, however, they cannot accept children who are receiving Wisconsin Shares and they cannot enroll any new children,” said Gina Paige, Department of Children and Families Communications Director.
Quinones, 21, faces four charges, including delivery of fentanyl/possession with intent to deliver on a youth center, and fentanyl. She appeared in court Monday for her arraignment, but the state Public Defender’s Office has not found an attorney for her yet, so the hearing was postponed to March 5. Also, her request to lower the $75,000 cash bond was denied, court records show.
Quinones worked at Green Bay Academy, 2280 Finger Road. The state Department of Children and Families revoked the center’s license. It cited several violations, including staff-to-child rations, group sized, mixed-age groups, and Quinones’ actions.
A woman who worked with Quinones at the daycare said, “The day we found out that this happened we were all shocked because out of everybody she was like the last person that we would have thought of that would be capable of doing this.”
According to the criminal complaint, an undercover informant arranged the purchase of 50 fentanyl pills for $350. Quinones allegedly met the informant in the parking lot Jan. 3 and completed the drug deal.
Quinones was arrested the next day.
Two weeks after Quinones’ arrest, Green Bay Academy parents received a letter from the center’s director.
In that letter, the director said no trace of drugs were found within the facility and the employee was terminated immediately — leaving at least one parent to believe the investigation wasn’t a big deal.
“When we originally got the notice, she made it sound like somebody brought their medications on, or it was something very small, so to know that it was actually something that could have killed my baby, I felt so guilty as a mom,” said Ashley Hermida, whose 18-month old daughter went to Green Bay Academy.
“In a recorded interview, QUINONES admitted that she does not use Fentanyl M30 pills but did admit to selling them,” the complaint states.
After reviewing surveillance video from inside the daycare center, police believe she was storing the drugs inside the bathroom of the “1 year old room” of the facility.
“Based on my training and experience, QUINONES put multiple children’s lives, whose care she was entrusted with, at risk by storing the fentanyl pills in the daycare. If QUINONES were to drop even one of the small pills, a child could have easily picked it up off the ground and swallowed it, causing them to overdose and possibly die,” the complaint states.
After arresting her, police searched her apartment, where more fentanyl and THC were discovered.
Quinones is being held on a $75,000 cash bond. Online court records show she has a litany of previous traffic offenses, as well as misdemeanor convictions for criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest.
Green Bay Academy said Friday that it was permanently closed, leaving parents like Ashely Hermida scrambling to find care. She added, “For me, impact-wise, I’m going to have to most likely reduce my hours so reduce my income due to the closing of the daycare. I’ve been very stressed.”
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