A Massachusetts man who became critically ill after East Lyme police arrested him on human trafficking charges last month made an unexpected and rapid recovery after his court case was resolved at his hospital bedside with a plea of no contest, according to a court document.

Police obtained a new arrest warrant after learning from officials at The William W. Backus Hospital that Anthony Mannes, 37, of Marlborough, Mass., was regaining consciousness from a coma. He was presented Friday in New London Superior Court, where he waived extradition.

According to his court file, he appeared in court again Wednesday and is on his way back to Massachusetts to face charges of deriving support from the earnings of a prostitute and trafficking persons for sexual servitude.

Massachusetts State Police could not immediately provide details of the charges against Mannes. He was accompanied by a 20-year-old woman, described by police as a victim, when he was arrested in East Lyme.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit prepared by East Lyme police Officer Bruce Babcock, town and state police went to the Niantic Motel to arrest Mannes on June 18 after Massachusetts police informed them he was at the motel. A resident of the nearby Woodridge Condominium complex called 911 to say that two people carrying duffel bags had just run through a densely wooded area into a condominium parking lot.

Officer James Levandoski located the woman and saw Mannes, whom he described as "shirtless and disoriented," walking away from him and attempting to get into a parked car. Mannes was sweating profusely and hyperventilating and had a high pulse when police took him to Troop E in Montville.

When his condition did not improve, he was taken to the hospital, where officials said he had suffered a heart attack and was put into an induced coma. The next day, June 19, hospital officials told police Mannes' condition had deteriorated and they did not expect him to regain consciousness for several weeks.

On June 20, he was arraigned at his hospital bedside and his case was disposed of with a "no contest" plea. But on June 23, police learned he had made an "unexpectedly rapid recovery" and would soon regain consciousness.

— Karen Florin