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Giancarlo Nevarez, 19, from the Clarksburg section of Millstone, was charged with first-degree armed robbery, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago announced the charges on Thursday, Feb. 15.
Howell Township police responded to a report of a shot fired on Route 9 South at around 3:06 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 13. It happened about a mile south of the interchange with Interstate 195.
Investigators said that a man contacted Nevarez on a social media platform to sell him a couple of pairs of high-end sneakers. When they met up, he showed Nevarez the shoes and Nevarez pulled out a gun.
Nevarez fired one shot before taking the sneakers, investigators said. No one was hit by the bullet and there were no injuries.
Santiago also said this incident is a reminder that the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office and many police departments have "safe exchange zones" to prevent robberies during in-person transactions. The sheriff's office created its zone in 2017 and it's located in two parking spots covered by 24-hour video surveillance in front of the sheriff headquarters on Kozloski Road in Freehold.
Anyone with information about the incident should call the county prosecutor's office at 800-533-7443 or Howell Township police at 732-938-4111.
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