Lynnwood is a city located in Washington with a population of roughly 38,000. Police began conducting reverse stings in 1995. Starting in 2005, police also began conducting web-based reverse stings. The names of those arrested are released to the public.  The city is also able to seize the autos of those arrested for solicitation of prostitution. In addition, police can order “stay out of areas of prostitution” orders.

In the 2005 reverse sting, police arrested 11 men during a three-hour prostitution sting along Highway 99 in Lynnwood. The men were lining up two or three vehicles at a time trying to pick up female police officers posing as prostitutes, said a Sgt with the Lynnwood special operations unit.  The sting happened in the middle of the day near 168th Street SW. At least one man pulled up in a work vehicle.  The men were arrested for investigation of patronizing a prostitute or loitering for the purposes of prostitution and booked into the Lynnwood jail. They could have faced up to a year in jail and a $500 fine.