Howard is a village of approximately 20,000 residents, located in both in Brown and Outagamie counties, Wisconsin. Prostitution activity has been well-documented in the village and surrounding communities, and throughout both counties, for decades.

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. In response to complaints about prostitution, police conducted their first undercover prostitution sting in May, 2013. The Brown County Sheriff’s Department conducted a combined staying and reverse sting, the latter of which resulted in the arrest of four male sex buyers. The arrests were made in the communities of Howard and Suamico.  Most arrestees were given tickets for ordinance violations, others were arrested on drug charges and active warrants.  The sheriff’s department did not release many specifics about the investigation.  Several surrounding law enforcement agencies had also been responding to prostitution problems in their communities. In 2011-2012, more than 150 prostitution-related arrests were made in nearby Grand Chute, and 30 in Ashwaubenon, WI.