Grayson is a city in — and the county seat of — Carter County, Kentucky, located along US Route 60 and Interstate 64 in the state’s northeastern region. Within the city limits, the population is approximately 4,000. Prostitution and child sex trafficking have been documented in the Grayson area.

At least one law enforcement operation has targeted a sex buyer within Grayson. In January 2021, a suspect was arrested following an investigation by the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office and other law enforcement agencies. The man was booked on charges of promoting a minor in human trafficking, unlawful use of an electronic device to induce minor to sexual acts and 20 counts of prostitution, and he was held at the Carter County Detention Center on no bond. The AG’s Office received a complaint in December 2020 about human trafficking in Carter County involving the suspect. Detectives with the office initiated an investigation, discovering Kentucky State Police Post 8 had a similar inquiry in Rowan County involving the man. Detectives learned the man was offering drugs, alcohol, and cash to adults and minors in exchange for sexual acts. After gathering enough evidence for a warrant, the AG’s Office detectives worked with KSP Post 14, the Grayson PD, the Carter County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals to apprehend the sex buyer and take him into custody. The man’s identity was included in press releases