Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The 31-year-old father who was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of illegal drugs after his 1-year-old son was admitted to the LBJ Hospital for methamphetamine intoxication has pled guilty.

Lewis Lokeni, who has remained at the Territorial Correctional Facility (TCF) since he was arrested in June of this year unable to post a $5,000, surety bond was original charged by the government with two separate criminal charges.

In the first case, the government is charging Lokeni with endangering the welfare of a child, a class A misdemeanor, punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to one year, or a fine of up to $1,000, or both. This case is pending in District Court.

In the second case, he is charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance (marijuana), and unlawful possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), both felonies. In this case Lokeni has entered into a plea agreement with the government.

According to the conditions of the plea agreement, Lokeni agreed to plead guilty to the amended charge of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, to wit; methamphetamine.

Upon his guilty plea, Lokeni agreed that on June 12, 2018 in American Samoa, he had in his possession a glass pipe that contained methamphetamine.

He is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 26 for sentencing.