Darneko Yates, a 30-year-old from Richmond, Calif., received a 46-month federal prison sentence for possession of a firearm by a felon. U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín delivered the sentence. The case followed a one-day bench trial on January 17, 2025, where Yates was found guilty of violating 18 U.S.C. § 922(g).
Evidence showed that on August 27, 2023, police stopped Yates for a traffic violation. During the stop, they discovered a loaded automatic handgun hidden in Yates's six-year-old nephew's pants. At the time, Yates was on parole for previous felony convictions, including carjacking, solicitation to commit murder, and possession of a loaded firearm.
Judge Martínez-Olguín also imposed a three-year supervised release following Yates's prison term. Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani publicly announced the outcome.
The case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, aiming to reduce violent crime and gun violence. Launched by the Department of Justice on May 26, 2021, the strategy focuses on community trust, supporting violence prevention, strategic enforcement, and measuring results.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leif Dautch and Richard Ewenstein handled the prosecution. The investigation involved the FBI, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, and the San Pablo Police Department.