New York – Five persons have been convicted in by a Manhattan federal court jury of conspiring to transport women across state and foreign lines to engage in prostitution.

The trial of these five defendants stemmed from the August 2006 arrests of more than 30 individuals charged as part of a wide-ranging human trafficking ring operating throughout the northeastern United States; 20 of the prostitution business owners and managers were charged in the Southern District of New York with operating and participating in an international prostitution ring -- the rest were charged in the Eastern District of New York.

Other than the five defendants convicted Friday, all of the defendants charged in Manhattan pled guilty before trial.