Nestor Pagan, whose federal trial in May ended with a hung jury, pleaded guilty Thursday in New London Superior Court to conspiring to attack Javier Reyes, who was fatally stabbed during a Sept. 12, 2012, altercation outside his 187 Huntington St. apartment.

Pagan, 33, also known as Naeem Medina, will be sentenced later this month to 17 years in prison for conspiracy to commit first-degree assault.

Pagan had faced a possible life sentence on federal charges related to the attack, but a jury was unable to reach a verdict at a trial in U.S. District Court in Hartford in May. 

Under a plea agreement worked out by prosecutors in New London State's Attorney's Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office and defense attorney Brian E. Spears, Pagan pleaded guilty to a state charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree assault.

The guilty plea also will resolve a pending federal firearms charge.

Incarcerated since December 2012, he will get credit for the time he already has served.

New London and federal authorities who worked on the case were in court as Pagan appeared before Judge Hillary B. Strackbein to enter his plea.

According to the prosecution, Pagan, at the bidding of Oscar "Tato" Valentin, arranged for Jose "Gugie" Rosado Jr., 23, and Andrew "Papo" Avilies, 28, to attack Reyes. 

Messiah Williams, who was a juvenile at the time, also took part in the attack, according to testimony.

The government alleged that Reyes interfered with a drug-dealing enterprise Valentin was running out of garage bays, known as the "green garages," on Walker Street, according to federal and state prosecutors.

At Valentin's behest, the government alleges, Pagan paid the men $200 to carry out the attack. 

Rosado, Aviles and Williams have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

Valentin, who was tried with Pagan in U.S. District Court, was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and awaits sentencing. The charge carries a five-year mandatory minimum sentence.

Pagan pleaded guilty under the Alford Doctrine, which indicates he does not agree with the state's version of the case but does not want to risk a harsher prison sentence if convicted at trial.

At the federal trial, Valentin's attorney had asserted the attack on Reyes had nothing to do with the green garages, though the government said it intercepted a phone call in which Valentin admitted to arranging the assault and said it would show the people of New London that they should not interfere with his business.

In the summer of 2011, Valentin was the intended victim of a murder-for-hire plot involving Reyes' brother-in-law, Antonio Pena, according to court documents and testimony.

k.florin@theday.com