HOWELL – A Monmouth County man has been arrested and charged for robbing a Howell resident at gunpoint Tuesday afternoon, officials said.
Giancarlo Nevarez, 19, of the Clarksburg section of Millstone, has been charged with first-degree Armed Robbery, second-degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose and second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon.
The Howell Police Department received a 911 call around 3:06 p.m. regarding a gun shot fired in the area of the 4200 Route 9 southbound in Howell Township.
According to officials, the victim had contacted Nevarez through a social media to sell him a couple of pairs of high-end sneakers. After they met, Nevarez was shown the sneakers and then he brandished a firearm. Nevarez then fired one shot and left with the merchandise.
No one was struck and there were no injuries as a result of the gunshot, officials said.
Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago would like to remind the public that the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office and other local agencies have set up safe exchange zones to protect the safety of residents and minimize the risk of someone becoming a victim of robbery through in-person transactions.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Thomas Manzo at 800-533-7443 or Howell Police Department Detective Ryan Jackson at 732-938-4111.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.
