Trooper charged with sexual abuse, kidnapping in Boone County

By Stephanie Southey

Click here for updates on this story

    BOONE COUNTY, Missouri (KOMU) — A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper faces sexual abuse and kidnapping charges following a March incident at hotel in Columbia.

Jeffery Durbin, 30, of Madison, Missouri, was arrested and charged April 5. He was released from the Boone County Jail after posting a $5,000 bond, according to online records. An initial appearance in court is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. May 1.

MSHP Capt. John Hotz said the patrol is aware of the criminal allegations against Durbin and that Durbin is currently on special leave without pay.

Court documents say on the evening of March 23, Durbin and a victim met a Columbia hotel and purchased alcohol from a nearby gas station. The victim told authorities that in the hotel room, Durbin touched and kissed them without consent multiple times and made them feel uncomfortable.

The victim tried to leave but Durbin allegedly pulled them back into the room by their arm, according to court documents. Video surveillance reviewed by Columbia police corroborated the victim’s statement, court documents noted.

According to court documents, the victim said, “You said you were married,” to Durbin, in which he replied that he is not “happily married.”

According to a 2020 news release from the patrol, Durbin graduated from Moberly Area Community College’s Law Enforcement Training Center, then studied psychology at MU.

He worked as a deputy sheriff in Monroe County before graduating from MSHP’s Patrol Academy in the 103rd Recruit Class in December 2016. Durbin was assigned to MSHP’s Troop C region in May 2020, the release said.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.