The charges allege that while working as a VCCO investigator in Newark, Jamarino was responsible for handling claims from multiple crime victims seeking various forms of assistance.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, alongside the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), has announced criminal charges against a former investigator from the New Jersey Victims of Crime Compensation Office (VCCO). Guilherme H. Jamarino, 47, of Point Pleasant, New Jersey, is accused of engaging in inappropriate sexual communications with victims whose cases he was assigned to investigate. The VCCO, part of the Department of Law and Public Safety, offers financial aid to crime victims to help with the economic and emotional impact of their experiences.
Jamarino faces second-degree official misconduct charges, a result of an OPIA investigation prompted by a VCCO referral. His pre-indictment conference is scheduled for August 9, 2024, in Essex County Superior Court.
“The mission of the VCCO is to compassionately serve New Jersey crime victims in a manner that is mindful of the trauma they have suffered and their right to be treated with fairness, compassion and respect. The alleged conduct of the defendant made a mockery of that mission,” said Attorney General Platkin. “His alleged misuse of his authority to engage in sexual communications with VCCO victims was a violation of his professional duties and the law, and a betrayal of the trust those victims placed in him and the VCCO. We intend to hold him fully accountable for his conduct and the immense harm it caused those he had a duty to assist.”
The charges allege that while working as a VCCO investigator in Newark, Jamarino was responsible for handling claims from multiple crime victims seeking various forms of assistance. During this period, he was bound by the State Uniform Ethics Code, which prohibits using one’s official position for personal gain.
The OPIA investigation revealed that between December 9, 2021, and July 20, 2022, Jamarino used his personal cell phone to send inappropriate messages and photos to at least four victims. These communications, initially professional, reportedly became explicit and sexual in nature. Victims expressed distress and confusion, as Jamarino was their primary contact for their claims.
Jamarino allegedly sent inappropriate photographs, including a shirtless image and a video of himself in the shower, to the victims. In some cases, he sent messages inviting victims to his apartment or asking for personal details to arrange meetings. He also sent disturbing images related to guns to victims, knowing their traumatic backgrounds.
Jamarino’s employment with the VCCO ended on July 25, 2022. The charges against him include second-degree official misconduct, which carries a penalty of 5 to 10 years in prison, with a mandatory five-year parole ineligibility period, and a fine up to $150,000.
“As alleged, the evidence revealed that this defendant exploited his position as a VCCO investigator to gain access to – and prey on – vulnerable and traumatized crime victims who, no doubt, were well aware of the sway he held over their ability to obtain the financial assistance they desperately needed to move forward with their lives,” said Drew Skinner, Executive Director of OPIA. “No one turning to a government agency for help should ever be exploited in this way. Public protection demands that we prosecute and bring to justice anyone who engages in this kind of criminal conduct and that is exactly what we are doing in this case.”
Deputy Attorneys General Lisa Queen and Diana Bibb will prosecute the case, under the guidance of OPIA's Corruption Bureau leadership, including Deputy Chief Andrew Wellbrock, Corruption Bureau Chief Jeffrey J. Manis, and Executive Director Skinner.
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