HAMPTON — A man suspected of running a prostitution ring at Hampton Beach died of a blocked artery last month while awaiting trial in federal court.

Reno Demesmin, 28, of Manchester, was found dead in his cell bunk at Strafford County House of Corrections March 8, according to U.S. Marshal Chief Deputy Brenda Mikelson. An autopsy confirmed he suffered from coronary artery atherosclerosis, a disease in which plaque builds up inside the artery.

Demesmin, who prosecutors say went by the street name “Zoe,” was charged with two counts of transportation of prostitution in U.S. District Court in Concord for allegedly driving prostitutes from New Hampshire to Maine. His suspected accomplice, Edmund Mitchell, 36, of Concord, and who went by the street name “Dre,” is scheduled to go to trial in June, also for two counts of transportation of prostitution. The two allegedly ran the prostitution ring together out of Hampton Beach, as well as Hooksett and other locations in the state.

Prison staff discovered Demesmin had died at 1:35 p.m., according to Mikelson. Another inmate in a different cell told a guard Demesmin had not moved from his bunk for a significant amount of time. He was alive that morning, having attended breakfast.

Demesmin had no health conditions that indicated he was at risk of a blocked artery, according to Mikelson. However, she said no foul play is suspected in his death. The inmate who shared a cell with Demesmin was out on a work release program, not in the cell at the time of Demesmin’s death.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Zuckerman, who is prosecuting the case, said Demesmin’s death will not impact the case against Mitchell. He would not discuss the case further.