A Carbon County man was placed in a special state program on assault and theft charges on Monday in the county court.

Dillon Michael Hontz, 27, of Jim Thorpe, was placed in the state's Intermediate Punishment program for a total of two years by Judge Steven R. Serfass.Hontz previously pleaded guilty to one count each of simple assault, theft by receiving stolen property and criminal trespass.Hontz was arrested on the assault count on June 2, 2015, in the area of the Gypsy Hill Garden apartments in Lehighton. The theft by receiving stolen property occurred on July 15, 2011, in Mahoning Township. In the assault incident a charge of robbery was dropped in a plea bargain.Defense attorney Paul J. Levy, of the public defender's office, said Hontz was in need of drug rehabilitation and that the state program would be a great help to his client.Hontz told Serfass, "I just want to thank you for the opportunity."The state IP program involves time spent in a state correctional institution followed by placement in an intensive inpatient drug rehab program followed by time spent in halfway house setting. It a person is discharged from the program for any reason before finishing it, he would be brought back for resentencing.Serfass also ordered Hontz to pay restitution of $1,312.26, pay court costs of about $1,000 and supply a DNA sample.