Denton, Texas – October 3, 2025 – As part of a larger enforcement initiative in Texas, the Denton County Criminal District Attorney’s Office has entered a multi-year partnership with the Human Trafficking Institute (HTI) to expand and strengthen the County’s ability to combat human trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation, and related child exploitation crimes. Denton County is one of the first five counties in Texas to partner with HTI.
Through this collaboration, Denton County will enhance its capacity to identify victims, conduct effective investigations, and bring traffickers to justice. The partnership will provide specialized training, access to subject-matter experts, and practical tools designed specifically for prosecutors, law enforcement, and other frontline stakeholders. Central to this initiative is a trauma-informed, victim-centered approach that prioritizes survivor safety and well-being at every stage of the legal process.
Under the partnership, HTI and Denton County Criminal District Attorney’s Office will:
- Deliver targeted, county-specific training for law enforcement, analysts, and prosecutors on best practices for identifying, investigating, and prosecuting trafficking-related cases.
- Create and provide resources to improve case outcomes.
- Support the collection and analysis of case data to identify trends, measure impact, and inform long-term strategies.
The partnership officially launched with a three-day, prosecution-focused sex trafficking investigations training held September 29 to October 1, 2025, at the Denton Public Safety Training Center. This intensive training equipped local prosecutors and law enforcement officers with knowledge on Texas-specific legal frameworks, proactive victim identification, advanced investigative methods, trauma-informed engagement, the use of digital evidence, and effective multidisciplinary collaboration.
The training brought together prosecutors, detectives, and investigators from across Denton County, including the Denton County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, the Denton Police Department, the Carrollton Police Department, the Corinth Police Department, the Lewisville Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Denton County Sheriff’s Office. Participants learned directly from subject-matter experts, including survivor leaders and partner organizations engaged in care coordination, to ensure a comprehensive and victim-centered response.
The Human Trafficking Institute currently partners with jurisdictions across the United States and internationally to implement evidence-based models that improve investigations and prosecutions of human trafficking and related crimes. With the launch of this partnership, Denton County joins a growing network of communities dedicated to ending human trafficking through proactive, data-driven strategies.
District Attorney Paul Johnson:
“Denton County is fully committed to confronting human trafficking head-on. Through this partnership with HTI, we are strengthening our ability to identify victims quickly, build stronger cases, and ensure traffickers are held accountable.”
HTI Vice President of Programs Tyler Dunman:
“Human trafficking cases can be complex and often hidden within other crimes. Denton County’s leadership in launching this partnership demonstrates a proactive commitment to identifying victims, collaborating with service providers, and building strong cases that don’t depend solely on victim testimony. This is exactly the type of model that can drive lasting impact in the fight against trafficking and child exploitation.”
Media Contacts:
Denton County District Attorney’s Office: (940) 349-2600
Tyler Dunman, Human Trafficking Institute: (281) 684-3779 / Tyler.Dunman@traffickinginstitute.org
