Mount Airy is a town in north central Maryland of approximately 9,400 residents located in Carroll County, MD and Frederick County, MD. The town is classified as part of both the Washington Metropolitan Area and Baltimore Metropolitan Area. Prostitution and sex trafficking have been well-documented in the town and surrounding areas, and the area’s proximity to two major metropolitan areas is regarded as a contributing factor. This activity and its ancillary crimes have generated residential reports to local law enforcement. Among the more serious crimes associated with the area’s commercial sex market is child sex trafficking and child sexual exploitation.

To reduce commercial sex and trafficking, efforts targeting the consumer demand for prostitution and sex trafficking in the town have been deployed. For example, in 2021, a two-month investigation by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Investigations Section, FCSO SWAT, and the Frederick Police Department SWAT into a suspected prostitution ring and brothel operating out of a Mount Airy residence, resulted in the arrest of three men and two women on prostitution related charges. According to reports, the operation was initiated after police received an anonymous tip alleging that the residence was serving as a place for prostitution activity. In executing the search warrant, police allegedly found three bedrooms that appeared to be used for prostitution and a fourth that seemed to be a residence for two of the arrested offenders. In addition, police reportedly found laptops, TV sets, and cameras used for surveillance. Authorities also found a sheet with the names of alleged sex buyers and prostituted people, more than $18,000 in cash, boxes of condoms, and other materials related to sex. The FCSO described the residence as a “…business-like setting, complete with a waiting and sitting area for the ‘Johns,’ along with three separate bedrooms for services.”

According to charging documents, police reportedly found advertisements for the alleged brothel on multiple websites known for commercial sex and gained information from an anonymous sex buyer who had visited the address. Police also conducted surveillance over multiple days at different times of day and night and witnessed 20 to 30 vehicles come and go at various hours, staying for 30 to 60 minutes. Police did not use undercover operatives during the investigation. In addition, a third man was found hiding in the attic under insulation, but was released by police with his charges pending. Through their investigation, police reportedly learned that one offender had provided security and directed sex buyers where to park. He allegedly told police he was not involved in the operation but was instead a sex buyer. An additional offender was allegedly responsible for collecting money from sex buyers, documenting their information in a ledger, and issuing receipts. The identities, ages, and charges of arrested offenders were included in reports by local media outlets.