function remove_comment_links($id, $string = '') {
    $commentMETA = get_comment($id, 'user_id');
    $userID = $commentMETA->user_id;

    $userMETA = get_the_author_meta('user_level', $userID);
    $userlevel = $userMETA->user_level;

    if($userlevel != 10){
        $link_pattern = "/<a[^>]*>(.*)<\/a>/iU";
        $string = preg_replace($link_pattern, "$1", $string);
    }

    return $string;
}