Faribault is a city in, and the county seat of, Rice County, Minnesota. Its population is about 24,000, and it is located approximately 50 miles south of Minneapolis–Saint Paul. Prostitution and sex trafficking activity have been well-documented in the city and surrounding areas. For example, in December, 2012, a massage parlor that was shut down by Faribault police in due to prostitution-related activity, and remained closed as the two workers who were arrested pleaded guilty to charges brought forth in the case. Faribault Police conducted the investigation into Magic Massage, including surveillance, and sent an undercover officer in for an appointment, where he was offered prostitution “services.”

Consumer level demand provides the revenue stream for all prostitution and sex trafficking, and has therefore been targeted by local law enforcement agencies as a strategy for prevention and response. For example, in April, 2016, five law enforcement agencies worked together on a sex trafficking operation in Faribault, resulting in the arrests of four men and two women. They were arrested at a Faribault hotel, and the men charged with solicitation of prostitution and the women for prostitution. None of those arrested was a Faribault resident; five were from neighboring towns and one was from out-of-state. The operation targeted subjects calling escort/prostitution advertisements on Backpage.com, according to the Rice County Sheriff’s Office. The Rice County Sheriff’s Office, Faribault Police Department, Northfield Police Department, Cannon River Drug and Violent Offender Task Force and the Rochester Police department were involved in the undercover operation. The Rochester Police Department had received a state-funded grant and offered their assistance in the operation. Officers and deputies from Rice County had also attended training sessions and other operations in sex trafficking.