Amanda Crafts fired from Middle Township school after Atlantic City casino arrest

A $1,250 in Apple Pay transactions defines the financial loss in a case involving a Middle Township teacher who has been dismissed from her position. Amanda Crafts, 35, of Wildwood Crest, was fired on Oct. 19 after being arrested in connection with an alleged scheme at an Atlantic City hotel resort. Her colleague in the incident, Veda Engel, 23, of Cape May, faced similar charges for the same event.

The incident occurred on Oct. 9. Police reports indicate the victim met both women at a bar within the hotel. After exchanging contact information with Engel, the man proceeded to their room. According to the complaint, the two women stripped the victim and restrained him to the bed. Engel performed sexual acts on him before halting and stating, “That’s what you get for $1,250.” While Crafts held the victim down, Engel used facial recognition to unlock his phone and executed four separate transactions to her account. A detective noted in affidavits that these transfers were made without the victim’s consent in exchange for the sexual acts.

Crafts has a prior record with the New Jersey Department of Corrections. She previously worked as a computer teacher in the special area department at Middle Township Middle School. During her initial court appearance via video from the Atlantic County Justice Facility, she informed Judge Timothy Maguire that she was a teacher with no prior arrests. She told the judge, “I was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” and noted that she has four children.

Engel, who works for SoFresh SoClean Commercial Cleaning in Ocean City, has a history of prostitution-related charges. In December of last year, she allegedly offered an undercover state police detective sex for $1,000 at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. She was released on a summons at that time.

The school district confirmed the termination in a statement issued on Oct. 19. Superintendent Stephanie DeRose said, “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. The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority.”

Both women were held for nearly a week before the state consented to their pretrial release on Oct. 15. Court conditions require them to check in with the facility every other week. Crafts and Engel remain charged in connection with the Oct. 9 incident.