Complaints against former corrections chief were dismissed
By THE STAR STAFF
Former Puerto Rico Corrections and Rehabilitation Secretary Francisco Antonio Quiñones Rivera said Monday that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has dismissed all eight administrative complaints that were filed against him during his tenure leading the agency.
In a written statement, Quiñones said the complaints included one allegation of sexual harassment and seven allegations related to workplace harassment. According to the former secretary, the sexual harassment complaint, identified as case number 515-2026-00105, was dismissed by the EEOC on Sept.
1.Quiñones also said the remaining seven workplace harassment complaints were dismissed between Sept. 1 and Sept. 14. He noted that all eight complaints had been filed with the federal agency beginning on Dec. 12, 2025.
“As a public servant for the past 30 years, I reiterate that I have acted properly and in defense of the public interest,” Quiñones said in the statement. “I am confident that time and the facts will continue to speak for themselves.”
The complaints drew public attention earlier this year as questions mounted regarding Quiñones’ future at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Quiñones resigned from the post on Aug. 3 after Gov. Jenniffer González Colón requested his resignation. In an interview with Radio Isla 1320 AM, the former official said the governor asked him to step down during a meeting at La Fortaleza on July 31.
“I was visiting the Aguadilla prison when I received a call asking me to report to La Fortaleza,” Quiñones said. “During that conversation with the governor, she made that request.”
The governor had previously indicated she was evaluating Quiñones’ future at the agency amid the allegations. His resignation came days later, ending his tenure as the head of Puerto Rico’s corrections system.
The EEOC dismissals, as described by Quiñones, remove the remaining administrative complaints that had been filed against him during his time in office. It was not immediately clear whether any additional legal actions related to the allegations remain pending.
