A Carbon County man entered a guilty plea in the county court to one count of escape, admitting he failed to return to the prison while on the work-release program.

Terry Lynn Phillips Jr., 44, of Lansford, was on work-release and failed to return to the prison on May 20. Prison officials notified Nesquehoning police, who then obtained a warrant for his arrest for escape. He was later found and taken into custody.

Phillips, who has an extensive prior record, was sentenced by Judge Steven R. Serfass to serve 18 to 38 months in a state prison on the charge and ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, supply a DNA sample and pay court costs of about $1,000.

Phillips is currently an inmate in the county prison and will now be transferred to a state correctional institution.