Grand Island is a city of approximately 52,000 residents, located in central Nebraska, in Hall County.  Sex trafficking and prostitution activity have been well-documented locally. In its strategy for preventing sex trafficking, one of the key objectives pursued in this region by the Nebraska Human Trafficking Task Force is attempting to reduce the demand for commercial sex.  This objective is pursued by conducting undercover investigations targeting and identifying sex buyers.  For example, in June 2018, investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol Troop C and officers from the Grand Island Police Department conducted an undercover operation to target and identify individuals soliciting prostitution in the Grand Island area. Seven men were arrested and then held in Hall County Corrections, and charged with solicitation of prostitution.  In Nebraska, soliciting prostitution is a first-offense misdemeanor and a felony thereafter. The identities of the arrested sex buyers were included in press releases, and included the board chairman of the Middle Republican Natural Resources District; a fifth-grade teacher for Loup City Public Schools; and an assistant coach for the Arcadia-Loup City football team.