Two Essex County men arrested for robbing a club at gunpoint

NEWARK, NJ — Two Essex County men were indicted by a federal grand jury on March 24 for their alleged roles in a September 2015 armed robbery of a club in Passaic, according to a press release from acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick.

Jimmy Cooper, aka “Flip,” 32, of Irvington, and Keontrae Lawrence, aka “Taz,” 28, of South Orange, were both charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The Hobbs Act criminalizes robbery and extortion that can have an effect on interstate commerce. They will be arraigned at a date to be determined.

According to the indictment and other documents filed in this case, in the early morning hours of Sept. 6, 2015, Cooper, Lawrence and others allegedly agreed to rob a club in Passaic at gunpoint. Cooper sent text messages to a conspirator’s phone coordinating the timing of the robbery and discussing how to smuggle the gun into the club. Minutes later, Lawrence and a conspirator allegedly entered the office of the club where an employee was alone. According to police, they brandished a firearm, threatened to kill the employee and emptied the contents of an open safe into two purses. Lawrence and the other robber reportedly ordered the employee to the ground and told him to count to 100 as they lowered the lights and fled the club in a getaway car.

Following the robbery, the robbers reportedly led the police on a high-speed car chase through Passaic, Newark and East Orange, eventually abandoning the car in East Orange and fleeing on foot. Lawrence was arrested a short while later and charged by the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office with robbery and firearms offenses. Cooper was arrested on Nov. 3, 2016, after both men were charged by complaint in Newark federal court on Nov. 2, 2016.

The count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison, and that sentence must be consecutive to any other sentence imposed. The Hobbs Act conspiracy charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense.

Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, and members of the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, with the investigation leading to today’s charges. He also thanked the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, the Passaic Police Department and the Newark Police Department for their assistance.

  Arrests, FBI, Newark Police Department