A 37-year-old man was sentenced yesterday to a prison term of 6 2/3 years to 20 years for manslaughter in the suffocation death of his 1-year-old son.

Tapelu Levu was originally charged with murdering Maava Souza in July 2002, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter as part of a plea agreement. The agreement called for the sentence handed down by Circuit Judge Michael Town.

The Hawai'i Paroling Authority will determine when Levu will be eligible for release on parole after he serves 6 2/3 years. City Deputy Prosecutor Glenn Kim said he will recommend Levu serve the entire 20 years. Kim said Levu has at least three other felony convictions for theft, assault and drug convictions.

Levu admitted using crystal methamphetamine on the day his son died, Kim said.

Deputy Public Defender Jerry Villanueva said he will recommend that his client be paroled after 6 2/3 years.

Villanueva said his client acknowledged using ice, which impaired his judgment. "This is one of those classic examples of why crystal methamphetamine is so dangerous," Villanueva said.

The defense attorney said when the boy was crying, Levu covered the boy's mouth and nose with his hand. "If he were not on ice, perhaps this wouldn't have happened," Villanueva said.

Three other members of Levu's family were killed in a March 2001 car crash. Levu's wife, Ruta, and two small sons died when their car hit a tree. Ruta Levu was driving, following a car with Levu and Gisela Souza, his pregnant girlfriend at the time, according to court papers.

Gisela Souza later gave birth to Maava Souza.