Safiyyah Amirah Omar, who in February was the first of 11 defendants to be convicted in a string of federal heroin distribution cases, this week became the first sentenced.

Omar, 27, of Roanoke drew a two-and-a-half-year sentence in prison after federal prosecutors filed a "substantial assistance" motion, a standard feature of federal drug cases that signifies the recipient helped in a case against someone else. Once approved by U.S. District Judge Glen Conrad, the motion allowed Omar to avoid the five-year minimum penalty for the conspiracy to distribute heroin charge to which she pleaded guilty.

Omar had said in earlier hearings that she was addicted to heroin when she acted as a drug courier for a higher-level dealer.

Conrad said he would recommend Omar take part in an intensive drug rehabilitation program in prison that might qualify her for an early release.

Omar also was sentenced to four years of supervision by the federal probation office after she leaves prison, and fined $300.