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On Friday, Feb. 26, Javier Gonzalez, 52, and owner of TWC Auto Body on Jackson Street in Holyoke, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute more than 1 kilogram of heroin and 5 kilograms of cocaine, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts, said.
That Gonzalez was trying to move more than 1-5 kilos is an understatement. When police arrested Gonzalez they discovered more than 50 kilograms of cocaine and heroin.
To get an idea of just how large of a quantity this is - 1 kilo is typically the size of a regular, 4 lb. bag of sugar. A person could purchase all of the regular sugar sacks at Target and still fall short in comparison to the massive amount of drugs with Gonzalez that law enforcement confiscated.
From 2011 to March 2014, Gonzalez conspired with others to obtain large amounts of heroin and cocaine from Texas, transport the drugs to Holyoke and distribute them in the region.
It all ended on March 25, 2014, when law enforcement officers seized about $1.17 million in cash hidden inside a tractor-trailer driven by Gonzalaz to Texas as payment for kilograms of heroin and cocaine.
In addition, the agents seized 14 kilos of heroin and 42 kilos of cocaine in Texas that was destined to be distributed by Gonzalez back in Massachusetts.
Gonzalez is facing a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison plus a $10 million fine, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G M. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for June 25.
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