BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NJ – A 23-year-old Berkeley Township man has pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and robbery in connection with two separate armed incidents that occurred nearly a year apart, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced Friday.
The defendant, Shakim Varick, entered his guilty pleas before Superior Court Judge Kenneth T. Palmer on February 20. Prosecutors said Varick faces a proposed sentence of 10 years in New Jersey State Prison on the robbery charge and 18 months for aggravated assault, with both sentences to run concurrently. The robbery sentence will be subject to the No Early Release Act, requiring Varick to serve at least 85 percent of his term before becoming eligible for parole.
The aggravated assault incident occurred on May 30, 2024, when Berkeley Township police responded to the basketball courts on Third Avenue in Manitou Park for a report of a man pointing a handgun at another individual. Investigators later identified Varick as the suspect and arrested him at his South Toms River residence on June 17, 2024.
Separate armed robbery led to January 2025 arrest
Varick was also charged in a January 13, 2025, robbery at the Eastern Soccer Complex, where police said he arranged a meeting under false pretenses before brandishing a firearm and demanding more money from the victim. The victim escaped and called police, leading to Varick’s arrest later that day.
- Shakim Varick pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and robbery
- Faces concurrent 10-year and 18-month state prison sentences
- Incidents involved separate gun-related crimes in Berkeley Township
Varick has remained in custody at the Ocean County Jail since his 2025 arrest. His sentencing is scheduled for April 17, 2026.
Sentencing set for Berkeley man in armed assault, robbery cases