Gloversville is the most populous city in Fulton County, with almost 15,000 residents. It is located in the Mohawk Valley region of upstate New York, 48 miles northwest of Albany.

Prostitution and sex trafficking activity has been documented in the city and surrounding areas, including one online investigation in 2017, which led to the arrest of two men for attempting to meet children to sexually assault them and the separate arrests of two women for prostitution.

In August 2017,  Gloversville police arrested two people who were interrupted attempting to engage in sex acts at a vacant church, which was known to be a frequent site of illicit activities. Further investigation revealed that the two had agreed to engage in sexual conduct in exchange for $20. City police charged one with prostitution and the other with third-degree patronizing a prostitute. Police also publicly disclosed the name, age, and address of the arrested sex buyer.