Lansford man, who assaulted young son, given prison term

A Lansford man, who admitted assaulting his young son, was sentenced on Friday to a county prison term.

Judge Joseph J. Matika sentenced Joseph Daryl Mongi, 34, to serve 45 days to 23 months in prison on a charge of simple assault.

Matika said the defendant offered no remorse for what he did, adding, “regret is not an apology.”

Mongi, when speaking to the court, said he regretted what happened and told the court, “My main concern is for my children.”

Mongi, while holding a puppy in his arms and continuously petting it, said he had attended anger management counseling and is continuing counseling. He said the puppy calms him. He said he has a job and is paying child support, asking Matika for leniency.

Matika said, “I don’t know what effect this will have on the child.”

He said he was also concerned about information in a presentence investigation report prepared by the adult probation office in which Mongi made statements in conflict of the facts.

The mother of the child, now estranged from Mongi and living in the Lehigh Valley area, said Mongi has never apologized for what he did. She added, “He lets his anger get the best of him.” She also claimed that Mongi “ignores his children.”

Incident detailed

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 cause 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 told 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 goodnight.

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 said that Mongi on Sept. 15 picked up her and the children and came to Lansford. She said that she put the child to bed that 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.

The commonwealth agreed to drop charges of endangering welfare of children — parent/guardian/other commits offense, harassment and another simple assault count.

Prior arrest

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.

In addition to the prison term, Mongi was ordered to get a mental health evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, attend and successfully complete an anger management course, attend and successfully complete parenting classes, render 50 hours of community service when paroled, have no contact with the victim, pay court costs of about $1,000 and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole.

He will begin the prison term at 9 a.m. on Aug. 1.