St. Cloud is a small city of approximately 59,000 residents in the greater Orlando area near Kissimmee, Florida. Prostitution activity has been well-documented in the city, surrounding communities, and in other areas of the county. This activity and the problems and ancillary crimes it generates result in complaints to law enforcement agencies from residents and businesses.

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. To curtail demand, local law enforcement in St. Cloud has conducted reverse sting operations since 1989. For example, in September 2012, the Osceola Sheriff’s Office collaborated with nearby agencies to conduct its first web-based sting, which resulted in the arrest of 11 sex buyers and others. The names and photos of all those arrested (sex buyers, prostituted women, and pimps) were released to the media and posted online.  In August 2013, the St. Cloud Police Department arrested two men as part of a reverse sting. The names, ages, and occupations of the arrested sex buyers were publicized.