New Orleans Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for 2022 Robberies of New Orleans Bar

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on July 17, 2025, DEBORAH COOPER (“COOPER”), age 54, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo as well as, (5) five years of supervised release upon release from imprisonment, payment of a $700.00 fine and restitution.

In February, a jury found COOPER guilty of all seven counts against her. Count 1 charged COOPER with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a). Counts 2 and 4 charged COOPER with interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§1951(a) and 2. Counts 3 and 5 charged COOPER with using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c)(1)(A)(ii) and 2. Count 6 charged COOPER with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Count 7 charged COOPER with tampering with proceedings, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(1).

According to court documents, COOPER, and an unknown person, robbed Igor’s Lounge, located on St. Charles Avenue, in New Orleans in February and March of 2022. During the February robbery, COOPER, and the unknown person, held an Igor’s bartender at gunpoint and demanded she open the register and poker drawer. They then forced the bartender to the rear of the bar, and ordered her, at gunpoint, to lie on the floor while the robbers fled. Over twelve hundred dollars ($1,200.00) in U.S. currency was stolen. Similarly, during the March robbery, COOPER and the unknown person, retuned to Igor’s and robbed another bartender at gunpoint.  Over seven thousand dollars ($7,000.00) in U.S. currency was stolen. The New Orleans Police Department investigated the robberies and obtained surveillance footage showing the robbers parking COOPER’s Dodge Ram pickup truck near Igor’s on the day of the February robbery.  NOPD then obtained a search warrant for COOPER’s residence and located various items of clothing worn by COOPER during the robberies, twelve hundred dollars ($1,200.00) in U.S. currency, and a Smith and Wesson firearm, that COOPER attempted to hide, during this search.   The NOPD also located blue latex gloves, similar to blue latex gloves worn by the robbers during the March robbery, in COOPER’s Dodge Ram truck.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brittany Reed and Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit.

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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.