School district fires computer teacher charged in Atlantic City robbery

Amanda Crafts, a 35-year-old computer teacher in Middle Township, New Jersey, was fired by her school district after being charged in a scheme that left a male victim restrained and robbed inside an Atlantic City hotel room. The incident occurred on Oct. 9 and has resulted in two women facing criminal charges.

The victim met Crafts and her friend, 23-year-old Veda Engel of Cape May, at a bar within a hotel resort. After exchanging contact information with Engel, the victim went to their room. Inside, the women stripped him and pinned him to the bed. Engel performed sexual acts on him before stopping and stating, "That’s what you get for $1,250," according to the complaint.

While Crafts held the victim down, Engel used his facial recognition to unlock his phone. She then processed four separate Apple Pay transactions totaling $1,250 to her own account. A detective noted in the affidavit that these transactions were made without the victim's consent in exchange for sexual acts.

Crafts appeared before Judge Timothy Maguire from the Atlantic County Justice Facility for her initial court appearance. She told the judge she was a teacher with no prior arrest record and four children. "I was in the wrong place at the wrong time," she said. Engel, who works for a commercial cleaning company in Ocean City, was also charged in the incident.

The Middle Township school district released a statement on Oct. 19 confirming the termination of the employee. Superintendent Stephanie DeRose said the district's responsibility is to protect students and ensure those entrusted with their care meet expected standards. The statement noted that student safety remains the highest priority.

Engel has a prior record involving prostitution-related charges. Last year, she allegedly offered an undercover state police detective sex for $1,000 at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa and was released on a summons. Both defendants were released on Oct. 15 after being held for nearly a week. The state consented to their pretrial release, which requires them to check in with the court every other week.

The case remains active in Atlantic County courts. Crafts continues to work in the special area department at Middle Township Middle School, teaching computers, according to the school's website. The district confirmed the firing was based on the arrest and the standards expected of staff entrusted with student care.