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A man who forced children to work as prostitutes will spend the next 21-years prison.

Now the FBI tells 11 News child prostitution is a problem that's particularly bad Houston.

Reporter Jeff McShan went behind the scenes with federal agents trying to rid the streets of these types of child predators.

It’s needed because there was a time when law enforcement focused on arresting young prostitutes as a way to get them off the streets.

Not realizing the young people mostly women -- girls actually -- are often victims that are sexually abused by pimps.

Times have changed. Special Agents inside the Houston office of the FBI, along with the Houston police department are now following the pimps closely.

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Sometimes using surveillance cameras to keep track of their movements.

One of those tracked was George Anderson III. On Wednesday, the 30-year-old was sentenced to 262-months in federal prison. That's more than 21 years.

“In federal system you serve the time you are given. There is no early release or parole,” FBI Special Agent Vanessa Walthem reminded us.

Walthem works in the FBI's violent crimes squad. She said two young girls ages 14- and 15-years-old testified against Anderson. 

Prosecutors were able to prove Anderson profited from their illegal work and preyed on their vulnerabilities.

“These guys prey on girls with low self esteem and they target girls,” said Walthem. “They look for what makes that girl tick, maybe she comes from a poor background and needs money or she is just looking for a boyfriend who loves her and she doesn’t feel pretty.”

Child prostitution is such a big problem in this country that four years ago the FBI began an initiative called Innocence Lost.

Since then more than 24-underage teenagers working as prostitutes on the streets of Houston have been rescued. However, the problem continues here.

“It’s just a mecca because of the large sex industries here,” said Walthem.