ATLANTA - A Louisiana man on Monday was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison followed by five years probation for transporting minors from Alabama to the Atlanta area to engage in prostitution, according to the United States Department of Justice.

Dmarcus Ward, 26, of Minden, La., pleaded guilty to the charges on Sept. 1, and was also ordered to pay $2,600 in restitution to the victims and perform 150 hours of community service.

He transported one of the minors, a 14-year-old runaway, to Marietta and Tucker hotel rooms to engage in prostitution, according to court documents. Ward kept all the money the 14-year-old girl earned, closely monitored the juvenile and also had sex with her, according to the Department of Justice.

Ward transported the other juvenile, a 17-year-old, from Atlanta to Birmingham and back again to engage in prostitution, according to court documents.

"As part of his abusive behavior toward the victim, Ward ordered (her) to call him 'boss,' and also had sexual relations with (the woman)," according to the Department of Justice.

Ward advertised both women on the Internet, according to court documents.

"Atlanta is earning the unfortunate distinction as a center of human trafficking of all kinds, and this case demonstrates the tragic harms to our children and our community that results from sex trafficking of minors," United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said. "The sentence against this defendant is a step toward removing this activity from our community."

Assistant United States Attorney Susan Coppedge prosecuted the case in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Metro Atlanta Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes the Marietta Police Department. Anyone with information about human trafficking should contact the FBI at (404) 679-9000.