The question on Friday was how much to cut off the 10-year prison term that federal law suggested for Paris Eugene Robinson.

Robinson, 41, pleaded guilty in May to conspiring to distribute heroin as one of 11 defendants in a set of federal indictments that included firearms charges and supplying the drugs whose use resulted in overdoses.

Robinson's role had been to act as a courier and lower-level dealer for Robert Dwayne "Dollar Rob" Early, Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Wolthuis said at Robinson's sentencing hearing Friday.

Robinson helped bring shipments of the drug from New Jersey to Roanoke, but when police raided his apartment in December 2006, he quickly cooperated, Wolthuis said.

The help that he gave investigators and his later testimony against Early earned a motion for substantial assistance from the prosecutor, which if granted by U.S. District Court Judge Glen Conrad would allow waiving the 10-year mandatory minimum sentence that Robinson faced.

On Friday, Wolthuis suggested a five-year term. He noted that although Robinson had helped, he had a prior record of drug offenses and tried to steal some of the heroin he was supposed to turn over to police after a controlled buy.

Robinson's attorney, Bill Cleaveland of Roanoke, urged Conrad to consider a 35- to 45-month sentence, citing Robinson's physical difficulties and the volunteer work he did before heroin use took over his life.

Conrad asked Robinson which he'd prefer: an earlier release or longer treatment at a federal prison hospital. Robinson is confined to a wheelchair as the result of being shot in the 1990s and has various problems stemming from that.

Robinson said he'd prefer to get out as soon as possible.

Conrad said 54 months in prison seemed right to him, followed by eight years of supervision by the federal probation office.