A Carbon County man admitted in the county court on Monday to assaulting his son.

Joseph Daryl Mongi, 34, of Lansford, pleaded guilty to one count of simple assault before Judge Joseph J. Matika.

In exchange for the plea, the district attorney’s office agreed to drop counts of endangering welfare of children — parent/guardian/other commits offense, harassment and another simple assault count.

Mongi was arrested for an incident on Sept. 18, 2017, when Lansford police responded to a home along East Patterson Street for a report of an assault.

According to the affidavit of probable caused filed by Detective Joshua Tom, on scene Mongi told police his estranged wife was threatening him over marks on one of the children’s buttocks.

Borough police Chief Jack Soberick was met by Mongi and was shown a picture of three linear marks across the midpoint of the child’s buttocks. The redness surrounding the margins appeared to be finger prints and red lines that looked like scratches.

On Sept. 18, Carbon County Children & Youth conducted a Child Advocacy Center interview at the Lehigh Valley Children Hospital in Allentown. The mother of the victim transported the child to the appointment.

On Sept. 27, Mongi was asked to come to the station for an interview, and agreed to meet with Tom.

Mongi said to Tom that on Sept. 16, he took both of his children to a softball game, and during this time the victim wet his pants and needed to be changed. Mongi said that this happened several times throughout the evening, and that he did not observe any marks on his son during these times.

Mongi said he FaceTimed his wife so that the child could say good night. During this conversation, Mongi admitted to his wife that he spanked the child for having several such incidents throughout the day.

Mongi said that he woke up in the morning and gave both boys a shower. During this time is when he said he first noticed visible marks on the one child’s buttocks, however, he said that he did not spank him to the degree that would leave these marks.

He was now claiming that the mother must have spanked the child sometime through the night on Sept. 15.

On Oct. 31, Mongi’s wife told that Mongi on Sept. 15 picked up the children and her and came to Lansford. She said that she put the child to bed on this night.

On Feb. 6, 2018, the wife was interviewed with the assistance of the state police Cpl. Alan Pietkiewicz and ruled out as a suspect.

Mongi admitted during his interview that he lost his temper and he spanked his child; that he FaceTimed and also admitted to his wife that he spanked their son; and that Mongi’s allegations against his wife in this case were proved to be false.

Matika deferred sentencing. He noted that Mongi has prior convictions for “violent-related offenses.”

In April 2014, Mongi was sentenced on six counts of recklessly endangering another person, and one count each of simple assault and persistent disorderly conduct to a total of four to one day less 24 months in prison followed by one year of probation.

He was convicted by a jury on Jan. 10, 2014, of the charges that were filed by Mahoning Township police in a road rage incident that led to a crash on Oct. 23, 2012.

It was noted that Mongi had his young son in his truck with him.

Matika ordered the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report.