New London — The leader of a drug-dealing operation in the city was sentenced Thursday to 16 years in prison for his role in a 2012 killing and conviction on federal drug charges.

According to court documents and statements, Oscar "Tato" Valentin, 43, of New London ran a drug operation selling marijuana, cocaine and other narcotics out of the "Green Garages," a series of garage bays on Walker Street.

In 2011, former members of Valentin's drug operation arranged to kill him in a murder-for-hire plot, but were foiled when police, acting on a tip, arrested them.

Valentin then enlisted Nestor Pagan, who in turn hired Jose Rosado Jr., also known as "Gugie," now 21, and Andrew Aviles, now 29, to kill the brother-in-law of a man involved in the plot, Javier Reyes.

Reyes, 36, was found stabbed to death and with blunt force trauma to his head on Sept. 12, 2012, outside of his apartment at 187 Huntington St.

The government maintained that Valentin had Reyes killed to maintain his leadership in the drug operation, and ensure no one interfered with his business.

Rosado, who admitted he beat Reyes with a baseball bat, was sentenced to five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Aviles, who admitted he stabbed Reyes, pleaded guilty to a federal assault charge and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29.

Pagan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit assault and was sentenced to 17 years in prison.

However, a federal jury convicted Valentin on only one charge: conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

According to a news release from the office of Deirdre M. Daly, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Valentin agreed that the government "could prove the murder of Javier Reyes was related to (his) drug trafficking enterprise" after the government committed to not seek more than 19 years in prison.

Valentin's sentence will be followed by four years of supervised release.

The case was investigated by the New London Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police's Eastern District Major Crime Squad, the Connecticut Department of Correction, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service and the New London State's Attorney's Office.