Two men from Arlington, Texas, have been sentenced to a total of 80 years in federal prison for their involvement in sex trafficking a minor and distributing fentanyl, according to an announcement by United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Jamal Howard, 52, received a sentence of 600 months on January 30, 2026. His convictions include sex trafficking through force, fraud and coercion; conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl; distributing fentanyl to a person under 21; and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. Renaldo Rojas, 27, was sentenced to 360 months on January 15, 2026, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distributing fentanyl to a person under 21. Both were indicted in June 2025 and pleaded guilty in October of that year.
“Tragically, sex trafficking and drug trafficking are nearly always intertwined, escalating the horrific harm to victims in these cases,” said United States Attorney Ryan Raybould. “I applaud the tremendous work of HSI and Arlington Police Department that led to the victim’s rescue in this case. We embrace the difficult work removing prolific traffickers from our community’s streets and continue to pursue justice to the fullest extent against these types of offenders.”
“This intensely gratifying 50-year sentence reflects the seriousness of Howard’s crimes and the unwavering commitment of law enforcement to protect our children and our communities,” said HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard. “The outcome is the result of outstanding teamwork and dedication from our agents, the Arlington Police Department, and our federal partners. Let this sentence serve as a warning: Those who traffic minors and distribute deadly narcotics will be brought to justice and face the full consequences of their actions.”
Court documents state that in late July 2024, a minor female was reported missing as a runaway by her family. Rojas gave her fentanyl before sending Howard photos of her with an offer: he would connect Howard with her if Howard provided him with more fentanyl. After supplying bags containing fentanyl pills to Rojas, Howard took the girl back to his apartment where he gave her additional drugs. He then photographed her and posted commercial sex advertisements online using websites known for such transactions.
Records show that between late July through August 1, 2024, Howard trafficked the minor victim several times while also continuing his distribution of fentanyl pills—more than five thousand—to Rojas during this period. Messages found on Howard's phone documented discussions about these drug transactions.
On August 1, members from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Dallas working alongside Arlington Police recovered the minor at an apartment in Arlington along with evidence linking Howard's large-scale drug activity involving Rojas.
Two others were also convicted related to this case. Elnora Jordan, age 63 from Arlington, pleaded guilty in October 2025 for conspiring to launder money generated from Howard’s drug sales; she accepted payments via app transfers which she then withdrew as cash for Howard’s use. She was sentenced on February 3rd this year (2026) receiving twenty-one months imprisonment. Yolanda Gonzales from Hurst received twelve months after pleading guilty last October for using her cellphone communications with Howard regarding purchasing/distributing fentanyl.
United States District Judge Mark T. Pittman issued all sentences connected with this investigation.
Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas along with Arlington Police Department led inquiries into these offenses; Assistant United States Attorney Allyson Monte prosecuted.
