Albertville is a city of approximately 22,000 residents, located in Alabama’s Marshall County northwest of Gadsden and southeast of Huntsville. Cases of prostitution and suspected sex trafficking have been reported in the community for more than a decade, with activities frequently occurring in indoor brothels.

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. On at least one occasion, demand reduction tactics have been employed in the city. Local law enforcement personnel launched an investigation leading to the arrest of an individual attempting to purchase commercial sex. In mid-2015, media outlets reported the arrest of an Albertville physician following a five-day joint investigation by the Albertville Police Department, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Marshall County District Attorney’s Office, and Alabama Board of Medical Examiners. Though the details of the investigation were not disclosed (e.g., whether or not law enforcement used a decoy to communicate with the sex buyer), the Sand Mountain Reporter indicated that the individual had been arrested at an Albertville motel, and had been charged with attempting to procure sex “in exchange for money or medication.” Following his arrest, the male sex buyer’s name and arrest photo were publicized in press. In December 2015, the same source reported that the offender had pled guilty to a charge of solicitation of prostitution. Another news outlet indicated that he faced up to 12 months in prison and 24 months of probation, and “the conditions of [his] probation include[d] no contact with the victim or victim’s family in any form and [the]surrender of his medical license.” They added that law enforcement had initiated the investigation after being contacted by the victim, who indicated that the clinician had solicited her for sex acts in exchange for money and/or medication. Upon notice of his guilty plea, the offender’s name and arrest photo was again publicized in press.