A Carbon County man was sentenced to a state prison term on Tuesday for his part in a drug trafficking operation.

Judge Steven R. Serfass sentenced David Allen Anthony Jr., 28, of Lehighton, to serve nine to 36 months in a state correctional institution on a charge of criminal conspiracy, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, heroin. He previously pleaded to the charge.Anthony was one of 11 defendants arrested in a drug trafficking ring labeled "Operation 93 Pipeline."Arrested with him were Erik Feliz, 23, of Hazleton; Matteo Puddu, Curtis Margle, Jason R. Will, and Brittany Michele Vincent, all of Carbon County; Joshua Ynoe Mejia, Bradesky Santos Jr., Anthony Jordan Vega, all of Luzerne County; Cynthia Ann Hippenstiel of Columbia County; and Robert Alan Fox of Bucks County.The state Attorney General's office, along with the Carbon County Drug Task Force, accused the 11 for their part in a drug trafficking operation allegedly responsible for distributing $1.5 million worth of heroin in Carbon County over a four-month period. The time frame for the operation was December 2014 to March 2015.The name given to the operation was because authorities said the defendants would go to the Luzerne County area and get heroin, then return to Carbon, using Route 93.Several other defendants in the case have pleaded guilty with some already sentenced and others awaiting sentencing.Court-appointed defense attorney Mark Combi asked Serfass to sentence Anthony in the mitigated range of state sentencing guidelines, keeping him in the county prison, where he has been an inmate since his arrest.Anthony told Serfass, "I know I did make a mistake. I let drugs take over my life."Anthony admitted to a heroin addiction but said he had taken all the counseling sessions available to him in the county prison."I just want the drugs behind me forever."Serfass said, "There is no dispute here, you were selling." He added that he takes the word of Anthony that he wants to turn his life around, but added, "This is a very serious crime."In addition to the prison term, Serfass ordered Anthony to get a drug and alcohol evaluation, zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use, pay court costs of about $1,000 and supply a DNA sample.He was given credit for 201 days already spent in prison on the charges.