Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the arrest of Deveon Dwayne Byrd for sex trafficking minors and the recovery of a 17-year-old victim in Houston, Texas. 

“The sex trafficking of minors is one of the most heinous and disgusting crimes imaginable, and I will continue to use the full force of my office to put these sick predators behind bars,” said Attorney General Paxton. “I commend the brave work by our Human Trafficking Unit and law enforcement partners who helped rescue this young victim. Texas will not tolerate those who prey on children and exploit the innocent.”

On May 7th, 2025, the Office of the Attorney General’s (“OAG”) Human Trafficking Unit arrested Deveon Dwayne Byrd for Compelling Prostitution and Trafficking of Persons under the age of 18. The case resulted from a proactive investigation by the OAG Human Trafficking Unit, which observed sex service advertisements online and suspected that a female victim under the age of 18 was involved. It was determined that the victim was in Houston and the OAG Human Trafficking Unit, along with the OAG Fugitive Apprehension Unit, Department of Public Safety Human Trafficking Unit, and the Houston Police Department, rescued the underage victim from a Houston hotel in the 9000 block of Westheimer Avenue. Deveon Byrd was apprehended on site and booked into the Harris County Jail.

Attorney General Paxton’s Human Trafficking Unit continues to investigate the case along with the Harris County DA.