BOSTON (AP) - Federal prosecutors say two Massachusetts members of a violent prostitution ring have been found guilty of forcing teenage girls as young as 15 to work as prostitutes, taking them to several states.

Authorities say Darryl Tavares of Revere and Eddie Jones of Boston were convicted in U.S. District Court on Friday.

Prosecutors had previously said the 26-year-olds were members of a Boston-based group that operated from 2001 to 2005 in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, New Jersey, Florida and Pennsylvania.

Trafficking victims who were minors when the offenses occurred said in court that Tavares and Jones switched underage girls between themselves and viciously beat them.

One victim testified that Tavares carved her face with a potato peeler.

Another said Jones choked her after transporting her to Washington, D.C. for prostitution.

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