Belmont is a small city of approximately 9,000 residents, located just west of Charlotte in Gaston County, North Carolina.  Among the problems associated with the local prostitution market have been cases of johns being robbed.  In an effort to reduce prostitution activity in the city, the Belmont Police Department has conducted at least one street-level reverse sting. The operation was conducted in October 1998, and resulted in the arrest of multiple johns. While some offenders’ names were publicized in a local newspaper, it is unclear if police formally released the information to the public.  Neighborhood watch groups have met with local hotels to formally discuss and seek solutions to prostitution problems in their portion of the community.