Michael A. Stein of State College was sentenced yesterday at Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte to four years and three months to eight years and six months in state prison and a fine of $10,000 for the sale of heroin in the State College area.

Former Penn State student Stein, 31, had been charged with three counts each of delivery, possession with intent to deliver, possession of heroin and criminal use of a communications facility.

Stein, of 215 1/2 Sunrise Terrace, was arrested Aug. 9, 2003, by members of the Centre County Drug Task Force after several months of task force-conducted investigation.

On Dec. 15, Stein pleaded guilty to all of the charges.

Stein's defense attorney, Sean McGraw, said he was disappointed with Stein's prison sentence, and he said he was fighting to send Stein to rehabilitation for his heroin addiction.

"These kids get addicted [to drugs] for whatever reason, and throwing [drug addicts] in jail without rehabilitation is an exercise in futility," McGraw said.

Agent Scott Merrill, task force coordinator, said Stein's sentence was reasonable for his charges.

"Mike Stein was a very substantial distributor of heroin for Centre County and State College," Merrill said.

He added that after Stein's time in jail, he is hoping for his drug trafficking to be curtailed. "We also hope that it sends out a message to others that they will be persecuted to the full extent if caught," Merrill added.

Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar had no further comment on the sentencing.

Stein's charges stem from three separate deliveries of heroin between Aug. 1 and Aug. 9, and for the possession with intent to deliver 46 bags of heroin from his residence. During the last incident, before his arrest, Stein sold 20 packets of heroin for $600 to a confidential informant.

After the final purchase and delivery of heroin, Stein was taken into custody, and a search warrant was served on his residence.

As a result of the search warrant, the additional 46 bags of heroin, an undisclosed amount of money and drug paraphernalia worth about $1,500 were found.

Collegian Staff Writer Caleb Sheaffer contributed to this report.