Pleasant Prairie is a village of about 21,000 residents in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. It is located on the southwestern shoreline of Lake Michigan, directly south of the city of Kenosha and directly north of the Illinois border. Prostitution activity has been well-documented in the city and other areas of the county for decades. 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.

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. For example, in August and September, 2022, the Pleasant Prairie Police Department conducted an undercover operation within the village to identify individuals seeking to pay for sex with prostituted persons, arranged through online advertisements. The reverse sting operation led to the arrest of 11 individuals aged 25 to 62. Most received citations costing $2,591 for “soliciting a prostitute,” and some were criminally charged due to other contributing factors. The arrested individuals were identified in press releases. The department stated the operation was aimed at bringing awareness to human trafficking and to arrest those who support prostitution. Those arrested were interviewed and given information on human trafficking and how it relates to prostitution.