Dougherty County is a county of approximately 86,000 residents located in southwestern Georgia. Albany is the county’s seat and largest city. According to reports from local law enforcement, the county has struggled with persistent prostitution activity linked to illegal drug sales. To address the issue, the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with the Albany Police Department, Dougherty County Police Department, and District Attorney’s Office to create the Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit (ADDU).

Since its inception, the ADDU has conducted at least four street-level reverse stings to identify and apprehend sex buyers. The operations, which utilized undercover female officers as decoys, were often conducted to supplement larger anti-narcotics initiatives. As a warning to other would-be offenders, the ADDU has at times released the names of arrested sex buyers to the local media.