A New Orleans woman is facing a serious stint behind bars after being convicted of two armed robberies at Igor's Lounge. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Simpson announced that 54-year-old Deborah Cooper was found guilty by a federal jury of all seven counts against her, including conspiracy and robbery interference with commerce, brandishing a firearm during a crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and tampering with proceedings. The verdict was delivered on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
During the trial, court documents detailed how Cooper, alongside an unidentified accomplice, targeted the popular local bar on St. Charles Avenue twice in February and March of 2022 stealing over $1,200 and $7,000 in US currency respectively; the New Orleans Police Department managed to track down Cooper by using surveillance footage which linked her Ram pickup truck to the February incident, and a subsequent search of her residence uncovered evidence implicating her involvement including cash, a Smith and Wesson firearm and blue latex gloves similar to those worn during the March heist, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo is set to hand down Cooper's sentence on May 7, with a mandatory minimum of 14 years already in store due to the firearm charges which will run consecutively with additional penalties for the other counts; convicted on charges such as the Hobbs Act Robbery and Tampering with Proceedings, Cooper potentially faces up to 20 years, while the felon in possession of a firearm charge could bring another maximum of 10 years, added with a term of supervised release of up to 5 years after prison and a mandatory special assessment fee of $700 alongside possible fines and restitution, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The case was a collaborative effort between federal and local law enforcement, investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, alongside the New Orleans Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brittany Reed and Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit the judge will also consider fines and restitution during Cooper's sentencing in May adding another layer to the already serious nature of her convictions.
