Middle Township teacher fired after $1,250 casino room robbery

A computer teacher in Middle Township has been dismissed from her position following an arrest in Atlantic City. The incident involved a victim who was held in a hotel room, subjected to sexual acts, and charged $1,250 without his permission.

Police say the victim met Amanda Crafts, 35, and Veda Engel, 23, at a bar in an Atlantic City resort on Oct. 9. After exchanging contact information with Engel, the man went to their hotel room. According to the complaint, the women stripped him and pinned him to the bed. Engel performed sexual acts on him and then told him, 'That’s what you get for $1,250.'

While Crafts held the victim down, Engel used his facial recognition to unlock his phone. She then completed four Apple Pay transactions totaling $1,250 to her account. A detective noted in affidavits that the money was taken 'without his consent in exchange for sexual acts.' Crafts and Engel were charged in connection with the scheme.

Crafts works in the special area department at Middle Township Middle School. She has four children and had no prior arrests, according to court records. During a video appearance from the Atlantic County Justice Facility, she told Judge Timothy Maguire, 'I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.' The school district confirmed her termination in a statement on Oct. 19.

Superintendent Stephanie DeRose said the district’s top priority is student safety. 'Our responsibility is to protect our students, follow appropriate procedures, and ensure that those entrusted with caring for and educating our children meet the standards expected of them,' DeRose said. Crafts has been released on pretrial conditions that require bi-weekly court check-ins.

Engel, who works for a cleaning company in Ocean City, also faces charges. She has a history of prostitution-related offenses, including a December incident where she allegedly offered an undercover detective sex for $1,000 at the Borgata. She was released on a summons at that time. Both women were held for nearly a week before being released on Oct. 15.