Cannot get SQL Query to work with SafeSqlLiteral function - sql

Question

I have a function SafeSqlLiteral, found online. It's a function to prevent SQL injection attacks. I want to use this function inside my SQL query like so:
Dim com As String = "SELECT * FROM Person WHERE " &
SafeSqlLiteral(SearchCriteria, 2)
SearchCriteria being user input. I want the user to be able to enter: strState LIKE 'M%' and show all the records matching a state like Maine. It feels like this would work. (SELECT * FROM Person WHERE strState LIKE 'M%')
I'm getting a whole bunch of errors (probably too many to post on here, but will post them if needed), and I'm having a hard time figuring out how to make my query work with the SafeSqlLiteral function.
Here is the SafeSqlLiteral function:
Public Function SafeSqlLiteral(theValue As System.Object,
theLevel As System.Object) As String
Dim strValue As String = DirectCast(theValue, String)
Dim intLevel As Integer = CInt(theLevel)
If strValue IsNot Nothing Then
If intLevel > 0 Then
strValue = strValue.Replace("'", "''")
strValue = strValue.Replace("--", "")
strValue = strValue.Replace("[", "[[]")
strValue = strValue.Replace("%", "[%]")
End If
If intLevel > 1 Then
Dim myArray As String() = New String() {"xp_ ", "update ", "insert ", "select ", "drop ", "alter ",
"create ", "rename ", "delete ", "replace "}
Dim i As Integer = 0
Dim i2 As Integer = 0
Dim intLenghtLeft As Integer = 0
For i = 0 To myArray.Length - 1
Dim strWord As String = myArray(i)
Dim rx As New Regex(strWord, RegexOptions.Compiled Or RegexOptions.IgnoreCase)
Dim matches As MatchCollection = rx.Matches(strValue)
i2 = 0
For Each match As Match In matches
Dim groups As GroupCollection = match.Groups
intLenghtLeft = groups(0).Index + myArray(i).Length + i2
strValue = strValue.Substring(0, intLenghtLeft - 1) + " " + strValue.Substring(strValue.Length - (strValue.Length - intLenghtLeft), strValue.Length - intLenghtLeft)
i2 += 5
Next
Next
End If
Return strValue
Else
Return strValue
End If
End Function
Thanks in advance for anyone helping me solve this problem! It's greatly appreciated!