Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and Human Trafficking Institute Partner to Strengthen Local Enforcement Response to Human Trafficking

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TX -- As part of a larger enforcement initiative in Texas, the Montgomery County 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. Montgomery County is one of the first five counties in Texas to partner with HTI.

Through this collaboration, Montgomery 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 Montgomery County 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 two-day, prosecution-focused sex trafficking investigations training held September 8-9, 2025, at the Lone Star Convention Center in Conroe, Texas. 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.

Those agencies attending the training this week included Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, Pct. 1 Constable’s Office, Pct. 3 Constable’s Office, Pct. 4 Constable’s Office, Pct. 5 Constable’s Office, Conroe Police Department, Panorama Village PD, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Family & Protective Services, Harris County Pct. 4 Constable’s Office, Klien ISD PD, Shenandoah PD, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Willis PD, Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation, and Texas Office of the Governor.

In partnership with HTI, local law enforcement agencies, along with the District Attorney’s Office, will continue to host a series of technical trainings and provide support across the County to improve enforcement efforts.

District Attorney Brett Ligon: “This training and partnership with HTI are vital investments in Montgomery County’s ability to pursue traffickers and safeguard our most vulnerable — our children. By sharpening both our investigative and prosecutorial strategies, we are sending an unmistakable message: Montgomery County will never be a safe place for traffickers or anyone who seeks to exploit kids.”

Montgomery County Sheriff Wesley Doolittle: “We look forward to equipping our office with advanced training and skills to better identify and investigate human trafficking and complex child exploitation cases. The more prepared our deputies are, the more effectively we can stop traffickers
and protect victim in Montgomery County.”

HTI Vice President of Programs Tyler Dunman: “We are proud to partner with Montgomery County to bring this level of specialized training to local law enforcement. The commitment from law enforcement and prosecutors here is evident, and this week’s training marks an important step
toward more effective enforcement across the County.”