SPRINGFIELD (AP) -- A building contractor pleaded guilty in an agreement with prosecutors Wednesday to spending more than $200,000 in bribes to get work with the Springfield Housing Authority.

He is expected to be called as a witness during trial of former housing authority director Raymond B. Asselin and his family, scheduled for September.

At his federal court appearance Wednesday, Nicholas Katsounakis of Southwick, the owner of Manny's Plumbing and Heating, said he helped one of Asselin's sons buy an insurance company in South Hadley and installed a water heater for former state Rep. Christopher Asselin's pool.

Prosecutor William M. Welch II said Katsounakis was forced to write a check for $77,200 for Raymond Asselin and a former top aide to ensure he had work at the housing authority.

"In essence," Welch said, "it was a pay-to-play system."

Katsounakis pleaded guilty to three counts of bribery and could face between 46 and 57 months in prison under federal sentencing guidelines. U.S. District Judge Michael Ponsor set a tentative sentencing date of May 22.

The Republican newspaper reported that Katsounakis is expected to testify against Asselin and his family members who are charged with stealing more than $2.5 million from the housing authority over the past decade. In exchange, prosecutors agreed not to charge Katsounakis in at least 22 additional bribery and fraud cases.

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