Joplin man pleads guilty to federal meth charge,

A pre-sentence investigation has been ordered for James Edward Rowden, 42, Joplin, who pleaded guilty to a methamphetamine charge during a 15-minute hearing this morning in U. S. District Court in Springfield.

A federal grand jury indicted Rowden in November on three counts of distributing meth, once on March 29, 2016, again on March 30, 2016, and on April 12, 2016. Rowden pleaded guilty to the March 30 count as part of a plea agreement.

Rowden will continue to be held without bond as he awaits sentencing.