Nacogdoches is a city of approximately 32,000 residents, located in East Texas’s Nacogdoches County, near Lufkin. Nacogdoches is a sister city of the smaller, similarly named Natchitoches, Louisiana, the third-largest city in the southern Ark-La-Tex. Prostitution activity has been well-documented in the city and surrounding communities, and in unincorporated areas of the county. This activity and the problems and ancillary crimes it generates results in complaints to law enforcement agencies from residents and businesses. Among the more serious crimes associated with the local commercial sex market is sex trafficking. In late 2014, the community drew significant attention after it was reported that two local residents had sexually exploited a 14-year-old girl, and attempted to bribe her with $2,000 cash in exchange for not reporting the acts to law enforcement. The girl was said to have been trafficked by her mother, who “allegedly arranged for [a 61-year-old Nacogdoches resident] to have sex with [her daughter] at a Pearl Street apartment in August 2014.” In October of that year, the victim’s mother contacted police indicating that the man had begun contacting her family offering money in exchange for not reporting the sexual acts to police. The victim’s family then worked with law enforcement to conduct a series of recorded telephone calls with the man, during which he referred to both the assault and subsequent bribery. As of early 2015, the case remains pending, although early reports stated the man was charged with prostitution, sexual assault of a child, tampering with a witness, and trafficking of a person under 18 years of age.

Consumer level demand provides the revenue stream for all prostitution and sex trafficking, and has therefore been targeted by local law enforcement agencies. The Nacogdoches Police Department has conducted at least one traditional reverse sting to arrest sex buyers. In September 2005, NPD officers initiated an investigation that resulted in the arrest of nine men on charges of solicitation. All of the arrestees’ names, ages, and addresses were publicized in local media outlets.