Teacher fired after $1,250 casino room robbery

The victim lost $1,250 during an alleged sexual assault and theft in an Atlantic City hotel room. The money was drained from his phone via Apple Pay. Amanda Crafts, 35, of Wildwood Crest, was identified by the New Jersey Department of Corrections as a suspect in the Oct. 9 incident. She taught computers at Middle Township Middle School.

Police reports state the victim met the two women at a resort bar. After exchanging numbers with Veda Engel, 23, of Cape May, he went to their room. The victim claimed the women stripped him and tied him to the bed. Engel performed sexual acts on him before demanding the payment. She used his facial recognition to unlock his phone and executed four separate transactions to her account.

Crafts held the victim down during the transactions. A detective noted in the affidavit that the money was taken without consent in exchange for sexual acts. Engel has a prior record involving prostitution charges, including a December incident. Last year, she allegedly offered an undercover detective sex for $1,000 at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. She was released on a summons then.

Crafts appeared in court via video from the Atlantic County Justice Facility. She told Judge Timothy Maguire she had never been arrested before. "I was in the wrong place at the wrong time," she said. She told the judge she has four children and works in the school's special area department. Her attorney stated that Engel works at SoFresh SoClean Commercial Cleaning in Ocean City.

Middle Township released a statement on Oct. 19 confirming the firing. Superintendent Stephanie DeRose said the district must protect students and ensure staff meet expected standards. "The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority," DeRose said. The statement emphasized the district's duty to follow proper procedures and care for children.

Both women were released from custody on Oct. 15 after being held for nearly a week. The state agreed to their pretrial release. The terms require them to check in with the court every other week. Crafts had been a computer teacher for the district prior to her termination. The incident occurred two weeks before the school's formal announcement.

The victim reported the scheme after the hotel stay. The $1,250 was transferred directly to Engel's account. Crafts and Engel were charged in connection with the Oct. 9 event. The school district confirmed the employee had been fired in its Oct. 19 release. No further court dates were specified in the initial reports.