A former Ohio high school science teacher has been charged with interference with custody after authorities alleged he knowingly allowed a missing underage girl to stay at his Springfield home, despite being aware she had been reported missing.
Jobe Binkley, 48, faces one count of interference with custody, a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, according to a criminal complaint. The girl, who authorities say ran away from a youth shelter in Columbus on Dec. 2, 2024, had been missing for 263 days before she was found at Binkley's residence on Aug. 21, 2025.
According to a probable cause affidavit, an officer working as an agent of the U.S. Marshal's Office went to Binkley's Springfield home after investigators identified it as the girl's last known location. Binkley told the officer the teen was inside the residence and called for her to come outside, which she did. The affidavit 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.»
Investigators also alleged that officers had gone to Binkley's home on two earlier occasions while searching for the missing girl. During those visits, Binkley allegedly refused to let officers inside and told them 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.»
Binkley was the girl's former high school science teacher, according to reports. He was placed on administrative leave from Springfield City Schools in November 2024 and again in January 2025 before he was fired the following month.
Chelsi Warner, the mother of the victim's half-sister, alleged that Binkley began grooming the teen after they met 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 Binkley has pleaded not guilty to the charge. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 30. The Springfield Police Department and Springfield City Schools could not immediately be reached for comment.
The case highlights the challenges authorities face in locating missing juveniles and the legal consequences for those who harbor them. Interference with custody charges are typically filed when a person knowingly conceals or harbors a missing child, obstructing law enforcement efforts to return the child to lawful custody. The charge against Binkley carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, reflecting its classification as a first-degree misdemeanor under Ohio law.
Authorities have not released additional details about the girl's condition or the circumstances of her stay at Binkley's home. The investigation remains ongoing, and further charges could be filed as the case proceeds through the court system.