A 33-year-old Batavia resident with a lengthy criminal record who is accused of selling cocaine to an undercover agent is getting his life turned around, he told Judge Robert C. Noonan in County Court on Wednesday morning.
Juan Roman wants to continue on that path and was hoping Noonan wouldn't send him away for any length of time.
"I’m glad that it happened (getting arrested), because it made me a better person," Roman said. "I thank the court system because it saved my life."
Noonan said the progress Roman has made in drug treatment over the past 90 days counts significantly in his favor. But the judge said he couldn't overlook his prior felony convictions, his multiple stints in state prison and previous probation violations.
"You come here with a horrible criminal record," Noonan said.
One of Noonan's options, besides straight prison time, might have been local probation with intermittent incarceration at the Genesee County Jail.
When Roman entered his guilty plea to attempted possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, he agreed to a possible sentence of up to four years in prison.
Since his guilty plea, Roman has been through Hope Haven and other programs of his own choosing. He's also been working on getting back his asbestos removal license. He has only one more week of classes before he can test again.
"I know my record is not a good record," Roman said. "I just want to get my license back to help me further myself and my family and my future."
Roman said he has four children.
He said he accepted full responsibility for the position he found himself in.
Noonan took all that in, but said Roman needed to go away for 90 days to the Willard Drug Treatment Center.
"There are components of Willard that you are not going through right now," Noonan said. "I hope you benefit from them as much as you have from the drug treatment you have been through.
"If you play it right," Noonan added, "you won't be gone long. You will be able to get out and get back on track. I'm hopeful this sentence will continue your positive course."
If Roman doesn't say on the positive course, he will be required to serve four years in state prison.
If he completes Willard successfully, he will be on parole for the term of his sentence plus another three years of post-release supervision.
Good luck to you, Mr. Roman.
Good luck to you, Mr. Roman. It's nice to see you making this effort. Your success will not only benefit you, but so many others.
Good luck to him also...But i
Good luck to him also...But i would hope the judge will impose fines to offset some of the costs he has caused the State for his addiction........These people should be assessed some kind of extra tax in future paychecks..........