"It's a God thing": Former Montgomery County prosecutor to fight human trafficking in Uganda

HOUSTON - A local, well-known prosecutor is making a huge move. 

Tyler Dunman was chief of the Special Crimes Bureau with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office until last month. He’s been one of the most passionate voices in the fight against human trafficking in our region.  Now, he and his family are taking their passion to continue the fight on the other side of the world. 

For more than a decade, Dunman has worked on some of Montgomery County’s toughest cases, including human trafficking. It’s that work that changed his life.

"What drives me is the idea that we can literally reach down and rescue someone out of most treacherous situations that they have. I get emotional thinking about it," he says.

He founded the Montgomery County Coalition Against Human Trafficking. Now, it’s this passion that’s taking Dunman, his wife, and their three young daughters across the world to Africa.

"I've accepted a position called the Special Counsel Position and I'll be working in Uganda," Dunman said.

The role is a collaboration between the Human Trafficking Institute, a DC-based nonprofit, and the Uganda government. His wife Kimberly will work for Rescue Hope, a local organization. Dunman calls their decision “a God thing”.

"Several years ago, my wife had an opportunity to do some mission work overseas in Haiti and in Africa," he said. "Since then, I think God's just been working on us."

On Monday, the Dunmans said their goodbyes at Bush Intercontinental Airport and left for Uganda.

"It's bittersweet, we know that it's a higher calling that we get to go and do but we'll miss it here as well and just the day to day luxuries that we have in America that we take for granted," he said.

Dunman says he’s been preparing his daughters for a world void of everyday luxuries we take for granted in the U.S., a process that’ll give a deeper meaning to Thanksgiving.