A 51-year-old man was sentenced yesterday to a maximum 20-year prison term for manslaughter in the death of his 3-month-old son.

Lionel Letoto was originally charged with murdering his son Noah Williams at their Pensacola Street apartment Nov. 6, 2005. But as a result of a plea agreement, Letoto pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter for recklessly killing the infant, and agreed to the 20-year term.

Circuit Judge Patrick Border imposed the sentence as a result of the agreement.

Prosecutors said Letoto, unemployed, had placed pillows and a comforter on the boy laying face down on another comforter because the son had been crying. When Letoto woke from a nap, he found his son unresponsive, prosecutors said.

The boy, 3 months and 20 days old, died from asphyxiation, according to the city Medical Examiner's office.

The murder charge had carried a life term with parole.