Gunpoint robbery at soccer field lands NJ man decade behind bars
Berkeley Township, NJ — A Jersey Shore man will spend years in state prison after admitting to a gunpoint robbery at a soccer complex and a separate firearm incident at a local basketball court.
Shakim Varick, 23, of Berkeley Township, was sentenced April 17 to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison for a robbery tied to a January 2025 incident, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
Authorities said the robbery occurred at the Eastern Soccer Complex, where the victim had arranged to meet Varick for a business transaction. Investigators determined Varick brandished a handgun, demanded additional money, and threatened the victim, who fled and contacted police.
Varick was arrested the same day at his residence and has remained in custody since.
In a separate case, Varick received an additional 18-month sentence for aggravated assault connected to a May 2024 incident at basketball courts on Third Avenue in the Manitou Park section. In that case, police said Varick approached a victim and pointed a firearm at them.
The sentences will run concurrently, with the robbery sentence subject to New Jersey’s No Early Release Act, requiring Varick to serve at least 85 percent before parole eligibility.
Varick pleaded guilty to both charges in February.
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Key Points
- 23-year-old sentenced to 10 years for armed robbery in Berkeley Township
- Separate aggravated assault case adds additional prison time
- Must serve at least 85 percent of sentence before parole