A Carbon County woman admitted her part in the operation of a methamphetamine lab in her residence and also to theft incidents involving her live-in boyfriend, on Monday in the county court and was sentenced to a state prison term.

Maria Lyn (Foster) McKittrick, 51, of Palmerton, who lists a Nesquehoning address because she is in the county prison, entered guilty pleas in four pending cases before President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II. She pleaded to one count each of possession of a controlled substance in the county prison-contraband, possession to manufacture a controlled substance, and two counts of theft. The drug counts are both felonies.McKittrick and her companion, Gregory Seip, 45, now listing an address in Coopersburg, were arrested when Palmerton police responded to their residence at 939 Mauch Chunk Road on July 20, 2015, for a domestic dispute. Upon entering the residence police observed in plain view a large amount of copper. It was later learned the copper was stolen from the Alliance Sand Company in Lower Towamensing Township.Police returned to the residence on July 29, 2015, for another domestic incident. This time a search of the home was conducted and materials used in the making of meth were found. The copper and tools reported stolen in the Alliance theft were also found.She was also arrested on Oct. 11, 2014, following a vehicle stop by state police at Lehighton. She was a passenger in the vehicle and had an active warrant for her arrest. While taking her into custody troopers found crystal meth on her.Court-appointed defense Attorney Robert Frycklund said McKittrick was an intelligent person with a college degree who made some very bad choices.She told Nanovic that she lost a good-paying job about 10 years ago, and since then her life went out of control. She also admitted to long-term drug abuse which started at a young age with alcohol and then illegal substances. But she said her main issue is with alcohol.She told the court, "I want to get back with my family. I would like an opportunity to make things right." She also said she went through several rehab programs.On the contraband charge Nanovic sentenced her to serve one to two years in a state correctional institution followed by two years of state probation. On the other counts he imposed state prison terms ranging from one to two years, to three to 18 months, all running concurrently.She was also ordered to make restitution for her part in the thefts of $431.45, get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, supply a DNA sample, pay court costs of about $1,000, and have no contact with the victim in the thefts.She was given credit for a total of 197 days spent in jail on the charges.Her co-defendant, Seip, previously pleaded guilty to his part in the crimes and was sentenced by Nanovic to serve nine to 24 months in a state prison followed by two years of probation.