Woodstock Man Sentenced To 20 Years For Armed Robbery

WOODSTOCK, GA — Woodstock resident Travis Cooper, 22, was sentenced August 9 for charges related to his armed robbery of a Woodstock gas station in 2017.

The incident occurred on Sept. 3, 2017, when the defendant entered RaceTrac wearing a disguise, pointed a shotgun at a clerk’s head, stole money from the cash register, then fled on foot. With the help of a K9 officer and the defendant’s dropped cell phone, police officers apprehended the suspect in his Alta Ridgewalk apartment.

During the trial on June 20, the District Attorney’s Office presented nearly 100 pieces of evidence, including the shotgun used in the crime, surveillance video, cell phone records, and photos of the crime scene and Cooper’s apartment.

After deliberating about an hour, the Cherokee County jury found Cooper guilty of all four counts, including armed robbery, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and theft by taking.

At Friday's sentencing hearing, Assistant District Attorney David Holmes, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the state, recommended a sentence of 25 years to serve 20. After reading the victim’s written impact statement to the court, Holmes said that the victim still lives in fear and will be for the rest of his life.

“The only way to protect the citizens of Cherokee County is to put criminals like Travis Cooper in prison,” Holmes said. “Travis is dangerous. He deliberately planned this armed robbery and put the lives of many innocent people at risk. To this day, he has not accepted responsibility or even apologized. He needs to understand the gravity of his actions.”

The defendant was represented by Canton attorney Jeff Heller.

After hearing arguments from both the state and the defense attorney, Judge David Cannon, Jr. called this a “disturbing case.” He added that during a plea hearing Cooper could have accepted responsibility for his actions and receive a reduced sentence.

“You made the wrong decision,” Cannon said, addressing Cooper. “I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a case with this volume of evidence as to your guilt. Most heartbreaking is that you obtained $106 and you put everyone’s lives at risk. The reason there’s a mandatory minimum is it is akin to attempted murder when you stick a gun in someone’s face.”

Cannon then sentenced Cooper to 20 years to serve 15. The remainder of his sentence will be served on probation. Cooper will be permitted no contact with the victims, must forfeit the firearm used in the armed robbery, must stay away from all RaceTrac locations, and must have a psychological evaluation. He will be credited with time served.

“Thanks to excellent work by the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office and Woodstock Police, the defendant was quickly arrested, and we were able to secure a conviction,” said District Attorney Shannon Wallace. “Travis Cooper terrorized an innocent woman who will live the rest of her life with the memory of a shotgun pointed at her head. Hopefully this conviction and sentence will bring her some measure of peace.”