ARLINGTON, Texas — Two Arlington men have been sentenced to a combined 80 years in federal prison for their roles in a criminal enterprise involving the sex trafficking of a minor and the large-scale distribution of fentanyl. The sentences, announced by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), conclude a significant investigation led by the Arlington Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Severe Penalties for Federal Crimes
The primary defendant, 52-year-old Jamal Howard, was sentenced on January 30, 2026, to 50 years (600 months) in federal prison. Howard’s convictions include sex trafficking through force, fraud, and coercion, as well as conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and money laundering.
Co-defendant Renaldo Rojas, 27, was sentenced on January 15, 2026, to 30 years (360 months) for his role in the drug distribution conspiracy. Court documents reveal that Rojas provided fentanyl to a juvenile female runaway and conspired with Howard to trade the minor for additional narcotics.
The Investigation and Victim Recovery
The case began in late July 2024, when a minor was reported as a runaway to Arlington authorities. The investigation by the North Texas Trafficking Force uncovered a harrowing timeline:
- Exploitation: Rojas offered to connect Howard with the minor in exchange for bags of fentanyl pills.
- Trafficking: Howard transported the victim to an Arlington apartment, where he published commercial sex advertisements and trafficked her to multiple individuals over several days.
- Rescue: On August 1, 2024, federal agents and Arlington detectives successfully recovered the minor from an apartment, where they also discovered evidence of a distribution network involving over 5,000 fentanyl pills.
Additional Convictions in the Enterprise
Federal authorities also targeted the financial and communication infrastructure supporting Howard’s operations.
- Elnora Jordan, 63, of Arlington, was sentenced on February 3, 2026, to 21 months for laundering fentanyl proceeds through mobile payment apps.
- Yolanda Gonzales, 23, of Hurst, received 12 months for using a cellphone to facilitate drug transactions with Howard.
“Tragically, sex trafficking and drug trafficking are nearly always intertwined,” said United States Attorney Ryan Raybould. He credited the “tremendous work” of local and federal partners for removing these prolific traffickers from Arlington streets.
