Originally scheduled to stand trial today in Elizabeth City, Omar Daquan Ponton entered a guilty plea to count one of his federal indictment.

That count charges that around April 9 of 2020, the Roanoke Rapids man knowingly and intentionally distributed 40 grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.

The remaining two counts of the three-count superseding indictment will be dismissed at sentencing, which is tentatively set for May 12 at a time and location to be set by United States District Court Judge Terrence W. Boyle. He was returned to custody following the proceedings today.

Ponton had originally entered a not guilty plea to the counts in November after a grand jury in September filed the superseding indictment which also charged him with knowingly and intentionally distributing a quantity of fentanyl and possessing a weapon while a convicted felon.