Attorney General Austin Knudsen and Gov. Greg Gianforte on Tuesday recognized Human Trafficking Prevention Month by encouraging Montanans to learn the warning signs of human trafficking and report suspicious activity to help stop the crime.
Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery in which traffickers—often part of organized criminal enterprises—exploit adults or children for forced labor or commercial sex.
“I am incredibly proud of the efforts we’ve made to stop human trafficking in Montana over the last five years, but we’re not done yet,” Knudsen said in a statement. “As Attorney General, I will continue to do everything I can to end this heinous crime. I encourage every Montanan to join us in this fight—learn the signs and stay alert.”
Gianforte said January serves as a reminder of the widespread nature of human trafficking and the importance of coordinated efforts to combat it.
“Each year, we recognize January as Human Trafficking Prevention Month to raise awareness of this despicable, heartbreaking crime that affects every state in the nation,” Gianforte said. “In Montana, we have incredible nonprofit and law enforcement partners that do their part to put an end to human trafficking and hold traffickers accountable for their heinous crimes.”
Federal officials also emphasized collaboration among agencies. U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said law enforcement efforts have intensified through partnerships at the federal, state, and local levels.
“Under the leadership and direction of Attorney General Pam Bondi, and working together with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, we are cracking down on criminals, especially the cartels and other transnational criminal organizations who commit these heinous sex and human trafficking crimes,” Alme said. “Through the Homeland Security Task Force and Project Safe Childhood, we are better able to locate, apprehend, and prosecute these criminals as well as identify and rescue victims.”
According to the Montana Department of Justice, agents worked 64 human trafficking-related cases in 2025 and opened 21 investigations that have been or will be submitted for prosecution. Of those cases, 11 involved sex trafficking, six involved labor trafficking, two involved human smuggling, and two involved illicit massage businesses.
The Division of Criminal Investigation’s Human Trafficking Unit also conducted multiple victim response operations across the state to locate and identify victims. As a result, numerous individuals were contacted, recovered, and provided services, with several encounters leading to ongoing investigations.
Some of those operations were made possible by House Bill 112, a law passed during the 2023 legislative session with support from Knudsen’s office. The law increased penalties for sex traffickers and those who patronize sex trafficking, expanded the definition of human trafficking, and gave prosecutors additional tools to pursue cases involving the sexual exploitation of children and other victims.
Knudsen said his office will again co-host the GRIT Conference in Billings this year alongside anti-human trafficking organizations. The conference brings professionals from across the Rocky Mountain region together to address rural challenges and share strategies to combat trafficking and exploitation.
The Attorney General’s office has also expanded training on human trafficking for county attorneys, Montana Highway Patrol troopers, and cadets at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy. In 2024, Knudsen launched a curriculum for Montana students that includes testimony from human trafficking survivors and instruction from DCI agents working on trafficking cases.
Officials urged anyone who suspects human trafficking to report it to law enforcement, emphasizing that public awareness remains a key tool in identifying victims and stopping traffickers.