Paxton campaigns as a trafficking fighter. His office closed four trafficking cases in two years and gave probation to two men charged with trafficking girls.
He did create a trafficking unit, but its pandemic-era output was minimal, and in a case his office prosecuted, men charged with trafficking minors walked away with probation and no sex-offender registration.
Paxton claims he leads the fight against human trafficking, pointing to the trafficking unit he created in 2016 and the shutdown of Backpage.com.
Source: Attorney General press release listing his record, Sept. 18, 2025 · Office of the Texas Attorney GeneralWhat the record shows
Paxton created a human trafficking unit in his first year in office and credits it with helping shut down Backpage.com. 01 02 A Senate Republican super PAC is now running ads that sell him on a sex-trafficking prosecution. 05
During the pandemic, as reported trafficking surged and Texas ranked second in the nation for reported cases, his office closed four human trafficking cases in two years, the Houston Chronicle found. Over the same years he appeared in a public service announcement with Matthew McConaughey and ran 2018 reelection ads on the issue. 03
In 2023, his prosecutors offered probation to two men charged with forcing underage girls into prostitution. The judge gave each seven years’ probation, and neither had to register as a sex offender. The lead prosecutor resigned three weeks later, and the office would not answer questions. 04 One of the men was arrested again in 2025 on assault and unlawful-restraint charges. 06
Actions Paxton cites
- Paxton creates the attorney general’s human trafficking unit
He calls it his first major initiative as attorney general and credits it with helping shut down Backpage.com.
- Senate GOP super PAC launches ad selling Paxton on a sex-trafficking case
- Paxton’s office touts convictions of human traffickers and pedophiles
The record behind this
- As trafficking surged during COVID, Paxton’s office closed four trafficking cases in two years
Over the same period he made public appearances and ran campaign ads on the issue.
- Two men charged with trafficking underage girls get probation from Paxton’s prosecutors
They pleaded no contest to a reduced charge. Prosecutors asked for five years’ probation; the judge gave seven. Neither must register as a sex offender. The victim’s mother filed complaints with the attorney general’s office, the state bar and the U.S. Justice Department.
- One of the men from Paxton’s trafficking plea deal is arrested again
Corpus Christi police arrested Rakim Sharkey on assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful restraint and burglary charges.
Paxton’s response
A spokeswoman for Paxton’s office declined to answer questions about the 2023 plea deal or the prosecutors’ handling of it. 04
Sources
- 01About the Attorney GeneralOffice of the Texas Attorney General · 2026
- 02Attorney General Ken Paxton continues to secure victory after victory on behalf of the people of TexasOffice of the Texas Attorney General · Sept. 18, 2025
- 03As human trafficking surged during COVID, Texas AG Ken Paxton closed 4 cases in 2 yearsHouston Chronicle · Feb. 24, 2022
- 04Sex trafficking plea deal unending ‘nightmare’ for Texas momAssociated Press (via KSAT) · March 24, 2023
- 05Senate GOP’s super PAC starts spending big for Ken PaxtonThe Texas Tribune · Sept. 11, 2026
- 06Ken Paxton’s office struck plea deals in three other sex abuse cases beyond one facing scrutinySan Antonio Current · Sept. 30, 2026
- 07Attorney General Ken Paxton announces arrest of over 18,000 criminals by Fugitive Apprehension Unit and convictions for hundreds of predators, including human traffickers and pedophilesOffice of the Texas Attorney General · Oct. 6, 2026