A Renton man accused of ordering a juvenile runaway to work as a prostitute has been charged with commercial sexual abuse of a minor.

Deandre Gant, 21, was arrested last week and has since been charged with the felony. Gant has no prior criminal history, King County prosecutors said.

According to court charging papers: Gant told a 15-year-old Seattle-area girl that she had to perform sex acts so "they" could have some money. The girl told police that she has known Gant for about three years and had moved in with him after running away from home.

Seattle police started investigating the case after the girl's relatives called police to report her missing. Prosecutors said that the girl had been coerced last year into working as a prostitute by two men who have since been sentenced to prison time.

The girl told police that she worked as a prostitute for about a week this month, charging papers said. Police found text messages from Gant on her cell phone, ordering her to keep working, charging papers said.

Gant was arrested on March 23, three days after the girl was found by patrol officers in the 10500 block of Aurora Avenue North.