United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BOSTON – A Chicopee businessman and the former owner and operator of TWC Auto Body in Holyoke was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield for his role in a cocaine and heroin conspiracy.

Jamil Roman, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to seven months in prison and three years of supervised release, including a three-month period of home confinement. The government recommended a sentence of 46 months in prison and five years of supervised release. On Nov. 23, 2021, Roman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine.

On several occasions from January 2014 through March 2014, Roman acted as a trusted advisor to co-conspirator Javier Gonzalez – a large-scale drug dealer responsible for distributing vast amounts of drugs in Western Massachusetts. Roman, who owned TWC Auto Body in Holyoke, conspired with Gonzalez to collect a debt owed for four kilograms of cocaine, which was part of a larger load that Gonzalez obtained from a Mexican supply source. Specifically, Roman advised others on how to go about collecting drug debts and, in doing so, recalled his past experiences in selling large amounts of drugs.

In March 2014, Roman and Gonzalez conspired with others to obtain large quantities of heroin and cocaine from Texas, transport the drugs to Holyoke and distribute them in Western Massachusetts. In an attempt to conceal the cash payment and anticipated drugs, Roman helped to prepare a hidden compartment, which was loaded into the carrier of a tractor trailer that Gonzalez drove to Texas for the exchange. On March 25, 2014, Gonzalez was intercepted by law enforcement while enroute to Texas. Approximately $1.17 million in cash was seized from the trailer’s hidden compartment, as well as 14 kilograms of heroin and 42 kilograms of cocaine awaiting pickup by Gonzalez in Texas. In addition, more than $430,000 in drug proceeds was seized from Roman’s residence.

On Oct. 4, 2021, Gonzalez was sentenced by Judge Mastroianni to 30 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Gonzalez was also ordered to pay a fine of $20,000.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.