One of seven defendants rounded up earlier this year and charged with operating a crystal methamphetamine ring in Carbon and Lehigh counties entered a guilty plea in Carbon County court on Wednesday morning and is facing a state prison term when sentenced.

Susan Annette Rex, 57, of West Columbus Avenue, Nesquehoning, entered guilty pleas before Judge Steven R. Serfass to one count each of corrupt organization, criminal conspiracy - possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.In exchange for the plea the state Attorney General’s office agreed to drop another count of possession with intent along with counts of possession of a controlled substance, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and criminal use of a communication facility.Serfass, who accepted the pleas, told Rex under state sentencing guidelines, in the standard range, she faced a minimum prison term of 18 to 24 months on the corrupt organization charge and 15 to 21 months on the other two counts, meaning a state prison term. He said the terms could run concurrent or consecutive to each other.Rex did not say anything at the proceeding except to answer questions concerning her rights and the plea agreement posed by Serfass.Rex and the six others were arrested during a roundup on June 10.According to criminal complaints filed by the AG office in support of the charges, investigators identified Edilberto Ortiz Jr., 45, 1236 W. Tilghman St., Allentown, as a main distributor who supplied six people with methamphetamine. Those people later redistributed the drugs to their customers.Officials said the activity occurred between January and March of this year.Investigators used confidential informants for controlled purchases of methamphetamine over the course of the investigation.More than 4 pounds of methamphetamine were seized from a residence where Ortiz was staying, investigators reported in a criminal complaint.That search also resulted in the seizure of a .32-caliber handgun, roughly $2,400 and drug paraphernalia.Searches of other residences resulted in the seizure of various quantities of methamphetamine, cash, digital scales and drug paraphernalia.Arrested with Susan Rex and Ortiz were Holly Ann Eckhart, 50, of Palmerton; Richard E. Moyer, 57, of Lehighton; Robert David Rex, 58, of Lansford; Connie Serfass, 60, of Lehighton; and Donna Marie Ziegenfuss, 54, of Palmerton.Ortiz is scheduled to go on trial during the December term of criminal court.Eckhart and Robert Rex have pretrial conferences scheduled for Dec. 15. Moyer and Connie Serfass have pretrial conferences scheduled for Nov. 1.Ziegenfuss is scheduled to enter a guilty plea on Nov. 7.Serfass deferred sentencing and ordered the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report. Susan Rex has been in the county prison since her arrest.