By: Richard L. Smith
A 26-year-old Paterson man has been charged in connection with an armed robbery that occurred in Morristown last year and involved a professional football player, authorities said.
According to officials, Noah Shaffer, 26, of Paterson, was charged following an extensive investigation into a February 15, 2025 robbery that took place outside a Morristown residence.
At approximately 8 a.m. that morning, Morristown police responded to reports of an armed robbery after the victim and acquaintances returned from New York City.
Investigators said a vehicle blocked the victims’ driveway, at which point four masked men exited a Volkswagen Taos bearing fictitious license plates.
Each suspect was armed with a handgun and approached the victim and the driver.
Authorities said the suspects pointed their weapons at the victims, stealing a watch and wallet from one individual and cash from the driver before fleeing the scene in the same vehicle.
The investigation later identified Shaffer as a participant through electronic evidence, officials said.
Authorities confirmed that the victim was a player for the New York Jets at the time of the robbery. The victim’s identity has not been released.
As a result of what prosecutors described as a thorough and cooperative investigation, Shaffer was formally charged on January 15, 2026, with two counts of first-degree robbery and one count of second-degree conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
He is currently being held at the Bergen County Correctional Facility on charges related to an unrelated case in Passaic County.
On February 2, 2026, a judge ordered that he remain detained on the Morris County charges as well.
Shaffer is scheduled to appear for a pre-indictment conference before Superior Court Judge Ralph E. Amirata on March 2, 2026.
The investigation remains active, and authorities said additional suspects may be involved.
Anyone with information related to the robbery is urged to contact the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 973-285-6200.