Homestead is a city of approximately 80,000 residents located 35 miles southwest of Miami in Florida. Homestead has a long history of commercial sex-related arrests; the Homestead Police Department conducted its first reverse sting operation as early as 1986. Additionally, police have implemented the electronic posting of arrestee’s names and photos (implemented for both prostituted women and sex buyers) to deter future offenders.

Although prostitution remains a chronic problem in Homestead, two recent high-profile cases of sex trafficking have drawn the most media attention to the city. In June 2011, a woman was accused of forcing several young women to perform sex acts for clients inside her home. In June 2012, four men were arrested in connection to an alleged child prostitution ring that targeted Homestead teenagers in foster care.