One of four men charged in connection with an August 2011 home invasion and assault in Waterford that stemmed from a drug deal gone awry pleaded guilty Wednesday in New London Superior Court.

Jared K. Hastings, 24, of Waterford, will be sentenced Jan. 27 to four years in prison followed by seven years special parole for first-degree burglary and second-degree assault. He is being held at the Hartford Correctional Center in lieu of $150,000 bond.

The cases of his codefendants, Reginald E. Green, Matthew J. Hamler and Benjamin Stavens, are pending in the same court. Police investigated another man in connection with the incident, but determined he was not involved.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Hamler arranged for the other three men to break into a home at 64 Cross Lane and assault Alex "Booger" Pignataro in retaliation for a marijuana transaction that had gone awry.

Pignataro, the alleged victim, told police he woke up at about 8 a.m. on Aug. 3, 2011, to find three men in his bedroom dressed in dark clothing, gloves and black masks, according to the affidavit.

He said they pulled him out of his bed, tied him up with cords from his laptop computer and began punching and kicking him in the head, face and body.

He said one of them asked him about money and struck him in the face with a gun.

He said he lost consciousness and was being kicked in the ribs when he awakened.

He said his attackers also tied up his girlfriend and forced her into a closet.

During the incident, he suffered abrasions on his knees, neck and right arm, bumps on his head and forehead, a puncture wound on his left cheek, cut and swollen lips, three chipped teeth and one lost tooth, according to the affidavit.

He was treated at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital.

During the investigation, Pignataro admitted he and Hamler had distributed marijuana while living together in East Lyme.

He said that Hamler had given him $64,000 and instructed him and another man to fly to California to purchase marijuana.

He said agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration seized the money at Newark Liberty International Airport, but Hamler believed Pignataro still had the money and arranged the home invasion.

Senior Assistant State's Attorney Stephen M. Carney is prosecuting the case. Hastings is represented by attorney Donald L. Williams.

k.florin@theday.com

Twitter: @KFLORIN