Raleigh Man Sentenced for Possessing Firearm as a Felon

NEW BERN – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced DARYLE ALBERT MPONGO, 33, of Raleigh, to 41 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised released.

On November 27, 2018, MPONGO was named in a one-count Indictment charging him with Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon.  On March 13, 2019, MPONGO pled guilty to the charge. 

On April 9, 2018, officers of the Raleigh Police Department observed MPONGO conduct a hand-to-hand drug transaction with an unknown individual in an area known for drug distribution.  Specifically, the officer observed an exchange of U.S. currency for several small items wrapped in plastic bags; however, officers were unable to determine whether MPONGO was the buyer or seller.  MPONGO then entered the driver side of a vehicle occupied by another individual and left the area.  officers stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation shortly thereafter.   MPONGO then admitted to officers he was in possession of marijuana.  A search of his person found three baggies containing a total of 5.17 grams of marijuana. A search of the vehicle found a .22 caliber pistol and 7 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Since 2017 the United States Department of Justice has reinvigorated the PSN program and has targeted violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. 

This case is also part of the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.  This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violence crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.  For more information about this initiative click on this link.  https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.

The investigation of this case was conducted by the Raleigh Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.    Assistant United States Attorney Daniel W. Smith prosecuted the case for the government.