Dillon is a small Central Colorado town with about 1,000 residents located in Summit County, just west of Denver, CO and near Vail, CO. Despite its small size, instances of prostitution and sex trafficking have been documented in the area. Among the more serious concerns regarding the local commercial sex market is child sex trafficking. In 2021, according to reports, two organizations were known to be actively combatting child sex trafficking locally and abroad by raising awareness through public education and hosting mental health workshops.

In effort to reduce demand for commercial sex, the Dillon Police Department and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office have implemented demand reduction tactics that target sex buyers in the area. For example, in 2006, two male sex buyers, one male sex trafficker/pimp, and a prostituted woman were arrested in Dillon. According to reports, the investigation was initiated after the prostituted woman called police to report that she had been physically assaulted. While inside the home, the detective saw a business card on the living room table advertising the woman as a personal travel companion. The woman then allegedly admitted to the detective that she was an escort in the field of “adult private entertainment”, and that her assailant was her sex trafficker/pimp, and had attacked her during an argument about potential sex buyers who were calling the home.

The woman then agreed to lead the detective to a nearby apartment where she had allegedly met with three male sex buyers earlier in the evening. Using the information provided by the prostituted woman, investigators arrested three men on suspicion of soliciting for prostitution and patronizing a prostitute. The names and ages of the three arrested sex buyers were released. Each of the men were charged with Class 3 misdemeanors, which carry a sentence of up to six months in jail and/or a maximum fine of $750. All three men were released from the jail and a court date for the case was set. The investigation continued and detectives looked for other persons involved and possible locations used for prostitution.