A Waterford man pleaded no contest Monday in New London Superior Court to arranging for three others to break into a home at 64 Cross Lane four years ago and assault his former drug-dealing partner in retaliation for a marijuana transaction that had gone awry.

Matthew J. Hamler, 26, will be sentenced Feb. 17 to three years in prison followed by seven years of special parole for conspiracy to commit first-degree burglary and conspiracy to commit second-degree assault. He accepted a plea offer worked out by defense attorney Michael A. Blanchard and prosecutor Stephen M. Carney.

According to the state, Hamler initiated a home invasion that was carried out by Jared K. Hastings, Reginald E. Green and Benjamin Stavens on Aug. 3, 2011. The victim, Alex "Booger" Pignataro, said the three men entered the home wearing dark clothing, gloves and black masks, 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 his attackers tied up his girlfriend and forced her into a closet.

Pignataro admitted to police that he and Hamler had distributed marijuana while living together in East Lyme. He said Hamler had given him $64,000 and instructions to fly to California to purchase marijuana, but that agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration seized the money at Newark Liberty International Airport.  

Hastings, Green and Stavens have remained in custody since they were arrested in late 2014 and early 2015. Hastings last week pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary and second-degree assault. He'll be sentenced Jan. 27 to four years in prison followed by seven years special parole.

The cases of Green and Stavens are pending.

k.florin@theday.com

Twitter: @KFLORIN