Former Ohio teacher charged with allegedly sheltering missing teen
Investigators also alleged officers had gone to Binkley's home on two earlier occasions while searching for the missing girl. (Clark County Jail)
A former Ohio teacher is facing charges after authorities alleged that he knowingly allowed a missing teenage girl to stay in his home, despite knowing she had been reported missing.
Dig deeper:
Jobe Binkley, 48, of Springfield, Ohio, was charged with one count of interference with custody. The first-degree misdemeanor carries a potential sentence of up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Fox News Digital.
The girl had been missing for 263 days after reportedly running away from a youth shelter in Columbus on Dec. 2, 2025, WSYX and The New York Post reported. The outlets identified Binkley as the girl’s former high school science teacher.
The complaint states that Binkley "did knowingly allow the child victim to stay in his home while having knowledge of the victim being an active missing juvenile."
According to a probable cause affidavit, an officer working as an agent of the U.S. Marshal’s Office went to Binkley’s Springfield residence on Aug. 21 after investigators determined it was the girl’s last known location.
What they're saying:
Binkley allegedly told the officer that the teen was inside the home and called for her to come outside.
"He spoke with the resident owner, Jobe Binkley, who stated the juvenile was inside. He called for the juvenile, and they exited the home," the affidavit states.
Investigators further alleged that officers had visited Binkley’s home twice before while searching for the missing girl. During those visits, Binkley allegedly refused to let officers inside and insisted that the juvenile was not there.
"Officers had been to Mr. Binkley's house on two previous occasions where the juvenile was entered missing," the affidavit states.
"At those times he refused officers to enter his home and stated that the missing person was not inside. Officers noted that Jobe was made aware the individual was in fact an active missing person."
The backstory:
The New York Post reported that Binkley was placed on administrative leave from Springfield City Schools in November 2024 and again in January 2025. He was fired the following month.
Chelsi Warner, the mother of the victim’s half-sister, alleged to the New York Post that Binkley began grooming the teen after meeting her at school.
"She’s had a troubled history with her mother and this groomer took advantage of a girl looking for a parental figure," Warner said.
Court records show that Binkley pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Sept. 30, according to the records.
The Springfield Police Department and Springfield City Schools were not immediately available for comment when contacted by Fox News Digital.
The Source: FOX News contributed to this report. The story is based on a criminal complaint and probable cause affidavit, along with reporting from WSYX and The New York Post. It also cites statements from Chelsi Warner, court records detailing Binkley’s not-guilty plea and upcoming pretrial hearing, and information from Fox News Digital’s attempts to contact the Springfield Police Department and Springfield City Schools for comment. This story was reported from Los Angeles.