EATON — A local high school band director is facing charges after being accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student.
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Paul Bingle, 49, was arrested on Friday after an investigation into inappropriate contact between him and a student.
He’s facing charges of sexual battery, unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, and grooming, according to the Preble County Sheriff’s Office.
As shown on News Center 7 at 6:00, he made his first court appearance on Monday.
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An Eaton Police detective met with a student and a school staff member on July 17 to report possible inappropriate conduct between Bingle, the band director at Eaton High School, and other students.
An affidavit and statement of facts filed in Eaton Municipal Court show that the student told investigators about what they believed were inappropriate relationships Bingle had with at least two students.
The student gave detectives two pages of messages Bingle sent one student from the app Discord, which is typically used by gamers. The court documents described the messages as “of a sexual nature and highly inappropriate.”
The student then told investigators that Bingle turned his attention to another female student. They were frequently observed together, and he was seen buying her things.
The reporting student also said Bingle would make inappropriate comments and jokes around the girls in class, even going as far as telling them about his first sexual experience, court documents state.
Police eventually spoke with the second student believed to be a victim. She told detectives that Bingle began messaging her several months ago and that it turned sexual “within the last few weeks.”
Bingle was interviewed by police later that day and admitted to inappropriate social media messages with a student.
Court documents state Bingle was later hospitalized for having suicidal ideations.
“He admitted that he was suicidal because he had an inappropriate relationship with a 15 year old girl,” the documents state.
Bingle was arrested upon his release from a Hamilton County hospital and was booked into the Hamilton County Jail. He was then returned to Preble County and booked into the Preble County Jail on Saturday.
Bingle has worked at Eaton Community Schools since the 1999-2000 school year, Superintendent Scott Couch confirmed to News Center 7.
The district learned of the accusations on July 17 and placed him on leave.
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