BSO Deputy Arrested on Domestic Charges After Alleged Phone Snatching Incident
Girlfriend disputes severity of charges, prosecutors push for no-contact order
BROWARD COUNTY — A Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) deputy is being held on multiple charges stemming from an alleged domestic incident with his girlfriend, an arrest that is now raising questions in court about both the nature of the altercation and the state’s response.
Michel Quinones, 40, appeared before a Broward County bond court judge Saturday after being arrested Friday on charges of robbery by sudden snatching without a weapon, tampering with a witness, and battery involving dating violence, according to jail records.
Girlfriend Pushes Back in Court
During Saturday’s hearing, alleged victim Tiffany Sastre Carreras appeared to defend her boyfriend, arguing that the state was overstating what actually happened during the incident.
“I don’t think how the state is presenting the case is how the things happened,” Carreras told the judge.
The charges revolve around an altercation in which Quinones allegedly took Carreras’ phone after she threatened to call police. Carreras acknowledged telling Quinones she was going to call 911, but added key context that appeared to contradict the robbery narrative.
“Yes, I did tell him that I was going to call the police… between he grabbed my phone or I gave him the phone,” she explained. “There were probably 20 minutes in between [those events]… when he grabbed my phone, we were already in the garage.”
Carreras further testified that she was not afraid of Quinones and that she did not believe the robbery charge was appropriate.
“I’m not concerned. I’m not in fear of my life or anything like that,” she told the judge in response to questions about potential contact.
Prosecutors Cite Prior Statements
Despite Carreras’ courtroom statements, prosecutors argued for caution, referencing earlier statements she made to law enforcement that described the incident as violent.
“She’s not remembering all correctly based off her statement to law enforcement,” a state attorney representative told the court. “There was a pretty violent incident. I would recommend no contact at this time.”
The judge ultimately set Quinones’ bond at $5,000, ordered standard pre-trial supervision, and imposed a no harmful contact order. Quinones was also prohibited from possessing any weapons or firearms as a condition of release.
BSO Silent on Employment Status
As of Saturday evening, BSO officials had not publicly commented on Quinones’ employment status following his arrest. Local 10 News reported that Quinones’ arrest report has been formally requested but had not yet been released.
This arrest comes amid heightened public scrutiny of BSO personnel, as recent weeks have seen other deputies face various criminal charges, further fueling public debate over law enforcement accountability within the county.
