Glynn County is situated in southeastern Georgia, near Savannah and north of Jacksonville, Florida. Glynn County has a population of approximately 85,000 residents. Reports of prostitution activity in and around Brunswick and Glynn County dates back two decades and has generated complaints from business owners and local residents. Among the more serious crimes associated with the local commercial sex market is sex trafficking. At least one serial rapist who targeted those exploited in commercial sex has also operated in the county.

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 reduce prostitution and sex trafficking in the city, the Glynn/Brunswick Narcotics Enforcement Team has conducted periodic reverse stings since at least 2004. Operations are conducted at the street level using female police decoys and are often guided by citizens’ complaints about suspected prostitution activity. “John” stings have, at times, been launched in parallel with stings targeting sexually exploited individuals. Since at least 2010, local media outlets have publicized the identities of all individuals arrested during these investigations (i.e., both buyers and those being sold).

In June 2016, the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) participated in a reverse sting led by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). The web-based reverse sting targeted online child predators and resulted in six arrests. Agents with GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit (CEACC) spent several months planning “Operation Southern Hospitality” and made several arrests over two days in Madison. The operation targeted online child predators and those who traffic children in the sex industry, including those willing to pay to sexually abuse a child. Those arrested were charged with criminal attempt to commit child molestation. One person was arrested on adult prostitution and related charges. The identities of the arrested men were included in news reports. Along with the GBI and GCSO, participating agencies included the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, Madison Police Department, FBI, United States Attorney’s Office of the Middle District of Georgia, District Attorney’s Office of the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit, and seven additional law enforcement entities.