Keontrae ‘Taz’ Lawrence Gets 135 Months for Passaic Club Heist

Keontrae Lawrence, a 29-year-old South Orange, New Jersey, man known as ‘Taz,’ is headed to federal prison for more than 11 years after admitting to terrorizing a Passaic club at gunpoint. On September 6, 2015, Lawrence and at least one other conspirator stormed the unnamed venue, brandished a firearm, and threatened violence against a club employee before stealing $26,084 in cash during a brazen robbery.

LAWRENCE, a/k/a ‘Taz,’ pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo handed down the 135-month sentence today in federal court in Newark, New Jersey, where Lawrence stood silent as the gavel fell. He will also face five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.

The indictment reveals the robbery was no spur-of-the-moment crime. Lawrence and others planned the heist in advance, targeting the club with precision. During his plea hearing, Lawrence admitted he knowingly participated, entered the club armed, and used the threat of deadly force to extract cash. He and a co-conspirator fled the scene in a waiting getaway car, disappearing into the night with the stolen money.

The case unraveled over the following year. Lawrence was originally charged in November 2016 alongside Jimmy Cooper, a/k/a ‘Flip,’ 32, of Irvington, New Jersey, and Shaheed Blamahsah, a/k/a ‘Aboo,’ 30, of East Orange. A federal grand jury re-indicted Lawrence and Cooper on March 24, 2017. Blamahsah already pleaded guilty and was sentenced on October 6, 2017, to 150 months in prison for his role.

Jimmy Cooper remains awaiting trial. Federal prosecutors stress he is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. However, the government’s case, built on testimony, surveillance, and confessions from co-defendants, continues to advance through the federal system with assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies.

U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited the FBI’s Newark field office, led by Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher, and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, under Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, for their relentless work on the investigation. The Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, Passaic Police Department, and Newark Police Division provided critical support. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine K. Lou. Lawrence was defended by John A. Azzarello, Esq., of Morristown, New Jersey.