Pawtucket Man Gets Life Sentence For 2018 Providence Murder During Robbery

PROVIDENCE, RI— A Pawtucket man was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday after pleading guilty to the 2018 murder of David Long, 30, during a robbery in downtown Providence.

On Monday, Pofinima Gweama, 33, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in injury.

"Senseless violence — there is just no other way to describe this case," Attorney General Peter Neronha said. "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. The defendant’s conduct plainly warrants the life sentence he received. I am grateful for the fine work and partnership of the Providence Police Department during the investigation into the case."

Had the case proceeded to trial, state prosecutors said they were prepared to prove that on Dec. 26, 2018, the Gweama and two unindicted co-conspirators participated in an armed robbery resulting in Long being shot and killed.

Prosecutors said on the evening of Dec. 25 and into the morning of Dec. 26, Gweama and three other men traveled in a Dodge Durango to Lawrence, Massachusetts, where they visited a nightclub before returning to Providence, prosecutors said.

Unbeknownst to the other men, Gweama and his co-conspirators formulated a plan to rob his fellow passengers. Gweama and his co-conspirators texted details to coordinate the robbery such as the seating arrangement of the passengers, the valuables each passenger likely possessed, the location of the Durango — ultimately outside the victim’s apartment on Fountain Street — and instructions such as "act scary," according to forensic analysis of the defendant’s phone.

During the robbery, a 0.40 caliber handgun was fired, hitting Long. The driver, who was struck in the head during the robbery, was able to drive to Rhode Island Hospital, where Long was pronounced dead. Investigators said they never recovered the gun used in the murder.

Providence police recovered the Gweama's cellphone and other identification from the crime scene, prosecutors said. The phone underwent forensic analysis, and when Gweama reached out to Providence police to retrieve his cellphone, he was presented with the incriminating messages.

"I commend the exemplary investigative efforts of our detectives and the attorney general’s office throughout this investigation, resulting in this criminal being brought to justice," Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez said. "This brazen violence has no home on our streets and hopefully some peace is brought to the victim's family knowing that this violent individual will remain behind bars for decades to come."