Pawtucket man sentenced to life for 2018 murder in Providence

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — A Pawtucket man who previously pleaded guilty to a 2018 murder in Providence was sentenced to life in prison Monday.

Ponfinima Gweama, 33, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of David Long.

Gweama pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, first degree robbery and several other charges in February of 2022.

According to investigators, Gweama, Long and two other men were together in a Dodge Durango Dec. 26, 2018, when Gweama and the two other men planned to rob Long.

During the robbery, Long was shot by Gweama and Long ultimately passed away at the hospital.

“Senseless violence — there is just no other way to describe this case. This was a planned robbery, and the ready availability of and willingness to use a firearm to effectuate that robbery resulted in the death of David Long,” said Attorney General Peter Neronha.