The lead defendant charged last year in one of the largest drug busts in Island history was sentenced to five years in state prison on Monday by a Dukes County superior court judge.

The sentencing followed a change in plea as part of an agreement with the Cape and Islands district attorney.

Kaleb Garde, 25, of Vineyard Haven, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute and three counts of possession of a class B substance. A number of other drug charges, including selling drugs near a school and possession of a class E substance (prescription drug), were dismissed as part of the plea bargain agreement.

The Hon. Cornelius J. Moriarty 2nd, an associate justice of the superior court, sentenced Mr. Garde to five years and one day in the Massachusetts Correctional Insitution at Cedar Junction, a maximum security prison in Walpole. Mr. Garde was also sentenced to three years of probation to be served immediately after he is released from prison.

Mr. Garde was one of six people arrested in November of 2008 when the Martha’s Vineyard Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at the Garde family home on West Spring street in Vineyard Haven, less than one block from the Tisbury elementary school. The task force seized 127 grams of heroin, two scales, several accounting sheets and approximately $45,000 in cash.

Two of Mr. Garde’s siblings, Daniel and Hannah, were also arrested during the raid, and still face charges in Edgartown district court. The two other defendants, Garrett Gibson and Alexander Carlson, were indicted by a grand jury and in August were sentenced to two and a half years in the Edgartown House of Correction with 18 months served.

Roseline Gaspar. — Mark Alan Lovewell

Another defendant in the case, Roseline Gaspar, 24, of Vineyard Haven, also pleaded guilty on Monday to possession of heroin with intent to distribute and possession of a class B substance as part of a separate plea agreement. Ms. Gaspar, who was living with Mr. Garde at the time of the raid, was ordered to undergo drug treatment and a pre-sentence evaluation by the Barnstable County probation department. Several other drug charges against Ms. Gaspar were dropped.

Judge Moriarty revoked Ms. Gaspar’s bail and ordered her held at the Barnstable House of Correction until sentencing on Dec. 11.

Before Kaleb Garde’s sentencing, his attorney Francis T. O’Brien said the plea agreement offered by the commonwealth was equitable.

“It’s a harsh sentence, but a fair sentence. To his credit he has stepped up and accepted responsibility . . . it has been difficult for him to apologize not only to his family for the difficulties he has put them through, but also to the people of this Island,” Mr. O’Brien said.

Mr. Garde has gone through a drug rehabilitation program for heroin since his arrest, and has also offered to give a portion of the $45,000 seized during the arrest to drug rehabilitation and treatment programs on the Vineyard, Mr. O’Brien said.

Before sentencing Judge Moriarty addressed the defendant.

“Quite an unhappy circumstance. This is, however, a big-time crime. When reflecting on the severity of the crime, I read many letters from people who suffered from drug addiction or had a loved one who suffered from drug addiction. It’s regrettable you’ve inflicted harm upon you and your family, but also dreadful harm upon this community,” he said.

He also gave Mr. Garde a stern warning.

“If you were to come back before this court [in the future] you would have already been to state prison, and you would be facing much more significant consequences,” he said.

Mr. Garde was taken into custody immediately following sentencing.

Several family members and friends, including his parents, Kenneth and Nina Garde, sat in the front row of the courtroom. After his son was shackled and taken out of the courthouse, Kenneth Garde stayed seated for awhile, fighting back tears as the rest of the family quietly left the room.

“This has been hell on this family, and I want everyone to know Kaleb is sorry for what he did,” Mr. Garde said later. “He had some problems for awhile, some problems with addiction, but he is trying to make things right.”