In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person committing a crime.

How does a sting operation work?

Police have long engaged in “sting operations.” In a sting operation, the police create an opportunity for someone to commit a crime, and when someone does, the police nab them, and prosecution follows. The Marshall Defense Firm mounts vigorous defenses in these especially challenging cases.

Why is it called a sting operation?

The term "sting" was popularized by the 1973 Robert Redford and Paul Newman movie The Sting, though the film is not about a police operation: it features two grifters and their attempts to con a mob boss out of a large sum of money.