By: Richard L. Smith
As a broader investigation into misconduct among public officials continues, a former New Jersey state employee has been indicted for allegedly using his official role to target vulnerable crime victims with sexually explicit and inappropriate messages.
According to a statement released by Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), Guilherme H. Jamarino, 47, of Point Pleasant, was charged by a state grand jury in Trenton. 
He is accused of sending sexually suggestive, explicit, and solicitous messages to at least six women between December 2019 and July 2022, while working as an investigator for the New Jersey Victims of Crime Compensation Office (VCCO).
Jamarino's role at the VCCO — a state agency that helps victims of violent crimes recover financially and emotionally — gave him direct access to the personal information of victims seeking assistance.
Prosecutors allege that instead of providing support, he abused this access to pursue inappropriate personal communications with the very individuals he was tasked with helping.
“We allege that although this defendant worked for an office that helps crime victims, he instead subjected them to further injustice,” said Attorney General Platkin.
“His alleged behavior exploited his professional relationship with the victims and further eroded the trust of these victims when they needed support and reassurance.”
According to the indictment, Jamarino engaged in conversations with victims about their compensation claims, but included inappropriate content, such as nude or semi-nude photos of himself and invitations to meet in person.
These messages allegedly intertwined professional matters with overtly personal and sexual content, undermining the victims' confidence in the services they sought.
Jamarino now faces seven charges: six counts of official misconduct and one count of pattern of official misconduct, all second-degree crimes. 
If convicted, he could face five to ten years in state prison for each count, along with fines of up to $150,000.
The indictment is part of a continuing effort by the OPIA to hold public employees accountable for abusing positions of trust, especially in sensitive roles involving vulnerable populations.