Waldron is a city of approximately 3,000 residents, located in Scott County, Arkansas. It has been described as a quiet, suburban city. 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.

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. Demand reduction tactics used in the city include the arrest of sex buyers, the public disclosure of their identities, and loss of employment. Local arrests of sex buyers have been the result of allegations of crimes against real victims, rather than the product of reverse stings using undercover police decoys.  For example, in May 2006, Waldron’s 72-year-old mayor was arrested after soliciting sex from two women, in exchange for helping them pay for their water utilities. The mayor allegedly used his position to obtain sex and give the women special treatment when it came to their water bills. One woman claimed that the mayor tried to solicit sex from her due to her late water bills, and later paid her $100 for sex. Another woman claimed that she had been having sex with the mayor for eight to ten years. He allegedly paid her $25 per meeting and allowed her to change the name on her overdue water bill to keep the service running. The mayor was charged with four counts of “patronizing a prostitute” and two counts of “abusing public trust” After these charges became known, the public demanded he resign his position. He resigned the following September. In July 2009, the mayor was found murdered in Little Rock Arkansas, after having been missing for over a month. Police reports do not mention a connection to his previous prostitution charges.