Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that Deborah Cooper, a 54-year-old resident of New Orleans, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for her involvement in robberies at a New Orleans bar. The sentencing was delivered by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo on July 17, 2025. In addition to the prison term, Cooper will face five years of supervised release after imprisonment and is required to pay a $700 fine and restitution.
In February, a jury found Cooper guilty on all seven counts against her. These included conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, interference with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act, using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and tampering with proceedings.
Court documents revealed that Cooper and an unidentified accomplice robbed Igor’s Lounge on St. Charles Avenue twice in early 2022. During these incidents, they held bartenders at gunpoint and stole over $8,200 in total. Surveillance footage captured the robbers parking Cooper's Dodge Ram near the scene during one of the robberies.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives along with the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Brittany Reed and Sarah Dawkins are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities.
