A Killeen man who forced a young girl into prostitution has been sentenced to 30 years behind bars.

31-year-old Bobby Barrett was convicted by a Houston court of sex trafficking of a minor in July of 2014. Authorities say Barrett coerced the girl, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, into sex work and took her across state lines to service clients.

Police began investigating Barrett after the girl was arrested in Houston in 2013 during an enforcement operation. Barrett bonded her of jail and transported her to Louisiana, where authorities say he posted more than two dozen ads for the girl's services. Police took Barrett and the girl into custody less than two weeks later.

The victim told police that Barrett was aware of her age, and detectives found her school identification card in his pocket. He was convicted after a four day trial and less than two hours of deliberation. Barrett had faced a maximum of 40 years in prison for sex trafficking of a minor and life for transporting the girl across state lines for prostitution.

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