A Monmouth County resident has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for armed bank robbery, according to an announcement from Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba.
Jeffrey L. Kniffin, 51, of Wall Township, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court on July 22, 2025. He admitted to one count of armed bank robbery. On November 24, 2025, Judge Quraishi imposed a sentence of 63 months’ imprisonment.
Court documents and statements reveal that on October 23, 2024, Kniffin entered a bank in Wall Township with a loaded handgun. He approached a teller and demanded cash while displaying the weapon and instructing the teller multiple times not to “do anything stupid.” Kniffin left the bank with approximately $27,072 but was apprehended by law enforcement within minutes. Authorities recovered a loaded handgun and over $25,000 in cash at the time of his arrest.
In addition to the prison term, Kniffin will serve three years of supervised release after completing his sentence. The court also ordered forfeiture of the robbery proceeds and firearm used in the crime and required restitution totaling $1,938.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited task force officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation under Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy (Newark) for their work on this case. She also acknowledged assistance from the Wall Township Police Department led by Chief Sean O’Halloran and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office under Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick represented the government in this matter.
“Don’t do anything stupid,” Kniffin told the teller during the robbery.
Defense counsel was John M. Holliday.
