Romeo Jones arrived in Springfield in the summer of 2001 to help his childhood friend, Tony Santos take over the family business. Having grown up in the mob, Romeo liked the lifestyle and the mob's ruthless way of doing things. Romeo proved to be Tony's best friend, giving him advice, helping in mob-related activities, and even helping Tony's cousin, Danny, pull off a sting. Though he failed to understand Tony's interest in good-girl Marah Lewis, he tried to tell Tony to use every trick in his disposal to win her and was often exasperated by Tony's approach when dealing with Sam Spencer, a rival for Marah's affections. Towards the end of the year, Romeo found a kindred spirit in Tory Granger, a woman who liked to work people the same way he did.

Romeo was at Tony's side throughout Tony's many relationship crises, but wanted power that Tony and the rest of the Santos family refused to give him. Meanwhile, in late March 2002, Catalina Quesada was killed. Tony's grandmother, Maria, planned to confess her part in the murder, but had a stroke before she could do so. Romeo, Tony's supposed friend, wanted her to keep silent due to the fact that he had killed Catalina on her orders. The original plan was to frame Marah Lewis, but Tony arrived and got blood, literally, on his hands when he found Catalina's dead body and Marah's unconscious body. Before fleeing the scene, Romeo stole Catalina's necklace.

Romeo desired everything Tony had, and that included Tony's girlfriend. One night, Romeo had sex with a drunken Marah in the Infierno office. The next morning, he went to her dorm room for more, and she realized he was wearing Catalina's necklace (which Tony had originally wanted to give to Marah). She began cozying up to him in an attempt to get more information. When Tony learned of Romeo's true nature, he escaped from prison. When Romeo found out Marah was scamming him, he took her hostage. Tony tracked him and Marah down, rescuing her before the police arrested both men.

Romeo still had an ace up his sleeve - his night with Marah. Carmen Santos wanted Tony to find out about this night, and pressured Romeo into confessing. Romeo agreed, demanding money and her help in helping him escape prison. However, the only thing Carmen promised him was that he would be killed by a mob goon on the ride to the county jail, if he didn't tell Tony what had happened. Romeo gleefully told Tony how the pure, sweet, innocent Marah had given her virtue to him. Thus Romeo left the free world, with a final smirk on his face, knowing the havoc he had caused for so many.