Livingston County is a county of just under 61,000 residents, located in western New York about 35 miles south of Rochester, with a county seat in Geneseo. Prostitution and sex trafficking have been documented in the county and surrounding areas. Police have targeted demand for commercial sex with at least one reverse sting operation and one opportunistic sex buyer arrest.

In October 2016, New York State Police, in conjunction with the Livingston County District Attorney’s Office, conducted a sting targeting individuals attempting to solicit prostitution on social media sites, arranging to meet would-be buyers and sellers in Avon. Four men and five women were arrested as a result of the operation, as was one minor female. Each of the men was charged with third-degree patronizing a prostitute. All the arrestees–except the minor girl–had their names, ages, and other identifying information publicized in the press.

In August 2018, a Rochester woman was arrested on prostitution charges after she called 911 in Geneseo because she believed someone else was in the apartment. Deputies from the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call and, after further investigation, determined that she had come to the apartment for the purpose of prostitution. A Geneseo man was also arrested and charged with third-degree patronizing a person for prostitution after he allegedly went to Rochester to solicit the woman for prostitution.