Who Is Billy Wilburn III? Obetz Youth Soccer Coach Arrest

Billy L. Wilburn III is an Ohio man who volunteered as a youth soccer coach for the City of Obetz and was arrested on September 17, 2026, on two felony charges involving child sexual abuse material.

Court records accuse Wilburn of using the Kik messaging service to distribute a video depicting a prepubescent girl engaged in sexual activity with an adult man. A separate complaint accuses him of knowingly soliciting or receiving sexually oriented material involving a minor.

The City of Obetz immediately suspended Wilburn from all volunteer coaching duties and revoked his access to the city’s youth sports program after learning of the arrest. City officials emphasized that the information currently available does not establish that any participant in the Obetz youth sports program was involved in the alleged conduct.

What Is Billy Wilburn III Accused Of?

Wilburn is accused of distributing and receiving sexually oriented material depicting a minor. Franklin County court records cited by local news organizations describe two separate allegations under Ohio’s pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor law. [ABC 6] [10TV]

One complaint alleges that Wilburn knowingly sent child sexual abuse material through his Kik Messenger account. The second alleges that he knowingly solicited or received material depicting a minor engaged in sexual activity. [ABC 6]

The Alleged Kik Video Was Sent On June 14

According to the court complaint, the alleged distribution occurred on June 14, 2026. Investigators accuse Wilburn of knowingly sending a video through a Kik Messenger account that depicted a prepubescent girl engaged in sexual activity with an adult man. [ABC 6]

The publicly available court reporting does not identify the child depicted in the video.

Wilburn Is Also Accused Of Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material

The second criminal complaint accuses Wilburn of knowingly soliciting or receiving sexually oriented material showing a minor participating in sexual activity. [ABC 6]

That allegation is legally distinct from the accusation that Wilburn distributed the June 14 video. Ohio law separately prohibits distributing such material and knowingly soliciting, receiving, purchasing, exchanging, possessing or controlling it. [Ohio Revised Code]

What Charges Does Billy Wilburn III Face?

Wilburn faces two counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor under Ohio law. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office arrested him on September 17. [City of Obetz]

Ohio Revised Code Section 2907.322 makes it illegal to knowingly distribute material showing a minor engaged in sexual activity. When the alleged conduct involves distribution under division (A)(2), the offense is classified as a second-degree felony. [Ohio Revised Code]

The same statute prohibits knowingly soliciting, receiving, purchasing, exchanging, possessing or controlling such material. A violation of that provision, division (A)(5), is generally a fourth-degree felony for a defendant without a qualifying prior conviction under the statute. [Ohio Revised Code]

What Is Pandering Sexually Oriented Matter Involving A Minor?

Ohio law defines several different forms of conduct as pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor. Prohibited conduct includes creating, publishing, distributing, transporting, displaying, soliciting, receiving, purchasing, exchanging, possessing or controlling qualifying material depicting a minor engaged in sexual activity. [Ohio Revised Code]

The statute also provides that a mistake about the age of the person depicted is not a defense to a charge under the law. [Ohio Revised Code]

What Penalties Can The Ohio Charges Carry?

A second-degree felony committed in Ohio after March 22, 2019 can carry an indefinite prison sentence with a stated minimum term selected from two to eight years if a prison term is imposed. The maximum portion of an indefinite sentence is calculated separately under Ohio law. [Ohio Revised Code] [Ohio Revised Code]

A fourth-degree felony can carry a definite prison term ranging from six to 18 months when a prison sentence is imposed. These statutory ranges describe potential penalties and are not predictions of any sentence Wilburn would receive if convicted. [Ohio Revised Code]

When Was Billy Wilburn III Arrested?

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office arrested Wilburn on Thursday, September 17, 2026. The arrest occurred approximately three months after the June 14 conduct alleged in one of the criminal complaints. [City of Obetz] [ABC 6]

How Did Police Discover The Alleged Material?

Authorities have not publicly explained how investigators obtained the alleged video or what initially led them to Wilburn. Obetz Police declined to provide those details when asked by ABC 6 following the arrest. [ABC 6]

No publicly released law-enforcement statement reviewed for this page identifies the investigative tip, electronic service provider, search warrant or other evidence that led authorities to Wilburn.

Who Is Billy Wilburn III?

Billy L. Wilburn III was a volunteer coach in the City of Obetz youth soccer program when he was arrested. The city confirmed his role in an official statement issued on the day of his arrest. [City of Obetz]

The case attracted particular attention because Wilburn occupied a volunteer position involving children, although officials have cautioned that they have not established a connection between the allegations and participants in the city’s sports programs.

City Of Obetz Suspended Wilburn Immediately

Obetz officials said they immediately suspended Wilburn from all volunteer coaching duties after learning of the arrest. The city also revoked his access to its youth sports program. [City of Obetz]

The city described the suspension as a protective action taken in the interest of participant safety and noted that the criminal charges remained allegations. [City of Obetz]

Did The Allegations Involve Children Wilburn Coached?

There is currently no verified evidence establishing that the allegations involve a participant in the Obetz youth sports program. The city specifically addressed the issue in its September 17 statement and said the information available to officials did not establish such a connection. [City of Obetz]

That distinction is important because the criminal complaints concern electronic material Wilburn allegedly distributed or received. The publicly reported complaints do not accuse him of producing the material or identify one of his players as the person depicted.

The City Is Asking Families To Report Potentially Inappropriate Conduct

Obetz officials have asked anyone with information about potentially inappropriate conduct or communications involving Wilburn and a child to contact law enforcement. The city directed people with information to the Obetz Police Department or Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. [City of Obetz]

Officials also asked families to preserve relevant messages and warned people not to publicly post children’s names, photographs or accounts of possible incidents. [City of Obetz]

Obetz Says Youth Sports Volunteers Receive Background Checks

The City of Obetz says volunteers in its youth sports programs are required to complete background checks. The city reiterated the requirement after Wilburn’s arrest. [ABC 6]

Officials have not publicly said that a prior background check on Wilburn contained information related to the allegations announced in September 2026.

Parents Reacted To The Arrest

Parents involved in the Obetz youth sports community told ABC 6 that news of the arrest had shaken the trust families place in adults who work with their children. Parents interviewed by the station emphasized encouraging children to tell a trusted adult when they encounter conduct or communications that make them uncomfortable. [ABC 6]

Has Billy Wilburn III Been Convicted?

No. Wilburn was arrested and charged on September 17, 2026, but no conviction has been reported. The allegations contained in the criminal complaints have not been proven at trial, and the City of Obetz stated that Wilburn is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. [City of Obetz]