Four men who were sent to the STAR Community Justice Center have been prematurely discharged after they were allegedly caught with drugs; two pleaded guilty to the charge Wednesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

All four men are convicted felons who avoided prison time and were placed on community control sanctions, also known as probation, and were ordered to successfully complete rehabilitation programs at STAR as part of their sentence.

Jason M. Parsons, 28, of Palm Coast, Fla., admitted to having suboxone while he was incarcerated at STAR, although he denied instigating the offense.

“I didn’t bring it in,” Parsons told Judge D. Scott Bowling, who sentenced him to 10 months in prison. Parsons was given credit for time served in jail awaiting resolution of his case but not credit for time spent at STAR.

Parsons was on probation for an earlier drug conviction.

Suboxone is a drug sometimes given to people who are addicted to opiates and are trying to kick their addiction.

However, part of the agreement felons make when being placed on probation with the Lawrence County Adult Probation Agency is that they refrain from using any drugs or alcohol.

STAR also does not permit drug or alcohol use by its inmates. It is not known who brought the suboxone into STAR or how they managed to conceal it until it was discovered.

Corey L. Dyer, 20, of Franklin Furnace, also admitted Wednesday he was discharged from STAR for the same reason.

As in the Parsons case, Bowling sentenced Dyer to 10 months in prison, gave him credit for time served in jail awaiting resolution of his case but not time served during his unsuccessful stint at STAR. Bowling also denied a request for a brief furlough before Dyer is sent to prison.

Dyer was on probation earlier this year through Ironton Municipal Court and was on electronically monitored home confinement when he decided to cut off his ankle bracelet and leave his home, forcing local authorities to add felony escape and vandalism to his charges. When he pleaded guilty to the new charges he was sent to STAR and placed on probation.

Jimmie W. Sparks, 24, of Oak Hill, and Cody Patrick, 23, of 106 Lawrence St., South Point, were each arraigned on the probation violation but have denied the accusation.

They face a community control sanctions trial next week before Bowling. Sparks had pleaded guilty earlier this year to theft of drugs and Patrick was on probation for an earlier conviction on charges of receiving stolen property and carrying a concealed weapon.