A former Ohio teacher has been charged after police say a missing 16-year-old girl was found living in his home more than eight months after she disappeared.
Jobe Binkley, 48, was charged with one count of interference with custody, a first-degree misdemeanor, according to a criminal complaint filed Aug. 27 in Clark County Municipal Court.
Police allege Binkley knowingly allowed the missing teenager to stay at his Springfield home despite being aware that she had been reported missing.
Binkley has pleaded not guilty and was released on bond. His next pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Sept. 30.
According to a probable-cause affidavit, an officer working with the U.S. Marshals Service went to Binkley’s home on Aug. 21.
Authorities say Binkley acknowledged that the teen was inside and called for her to come out.
Investigators also allege officers had previously gone to Binkley’s home twice while searching for the girl.
During those earlier visits, police say Binkley refused to let officers inside and told them the teenager was not there, even though he had allegedly already been informed that she was listed as a missing person.
The 16-year-old reportedly disappeared on Dec. 2, 2025, after running away from a transitional living home in Columbus.
Her family and police spent months searching for her.
Binkley previously worked as a teacher with the Springfield City School District.
According to records cited by ABC 6, he was placed on administrative leave in November 2024 after the district received concerns about his professional interactions with students.
The district said those allegations were later determined to be unsubstantiated.
Binkley was placed on leave again in January 2025 and fired the following month for allegedly violating district policy involving technology use.
Springfield City Schools said it did not become aware of the allegations involving the missing 16-year-old until after Binkley was no longer employed by the district.
It remains unclear how Binkley and the teenager knew each other or whether he had ever been her teacher.
A neighbor living two doors away told ABC 6 there had been rumors that the girl was staying at Binkley’s home, but said she never personally saw the teen there.
“I’ve tried to peek around here and see if I can catch her, you know, in the back or maybe out of the house at night but I had never seen her,” the neighbor said.
She also said she could not imagine what the girl’s family had gone through during the months she was missing.
“For nine months not being able to find your baby. Is she dead? Is she alive, is she okay? Cannot imagine,” she said.
An attorney for Binkley did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The man looks like a live demon