Machesney Park is a village of approximately 23,000 residents, situated in the suburbs of Rockford in Winnebago County, Illinois. Prostitution activity has been well-documented in the city and surrounding communities, and in other areas of the county.  This activity and the problems and ancillary crimes it generates result in complaints to law enforcement agencies from residents and businesses.

On at least one occasion, local law enforcement have staged an investigation targeting sex buyers in the community. In December 2015, the Rockford Register Star reported the arrests of four sex buyers following an anti-prostitution detail at a Machesney Park-area motel. Logistical details of the investigation were not disclosed (e.g., whether or not the sting was conducted at street level or using web-based advertisements), though a Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department press release indicated that the sting had been overseen by its Tactical Anti-Crime Unit. The identities and mugshots of those arrested were also publicized in the press.