Translyvania County is located in northern North Carolina, and has a population of about 33,000.  Prostitution and the sex trafficking of minors are known to occur within the county. For example, in November, 2013, the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office arrested three men as a result of a year-long investigation into the alleged prostitution of a minor after following a tip on social media, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office.  The men were charged with felony participating in the prostitution of a minor, felony statutory rape, felony statutory sex offense and misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.  The Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office is a member of the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and was assisted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.  While not a typical reverse sting operation, the investigation was a proactive effort to arrest sex buyers whose exploitation of minors was facilitated via social media.  The identities of the men arrested were disclosed to news outlets.