COLUMBUS — A Franklin County grand jury has indicted former Catholic Foundation executive Scott Richard Hartman, 49, on multiple child sex material charges, advancing a case that began with his Oct. 1 arrest by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Investigators say the case began in April 2026 when a teenage girl told school counselors she had been in an online relationship with Hartman that included sexually explicit text messages, video calls and the exchange of nude images and videos — a relationship that lasted about six months before it was discovered. The sheriff’s office says Hartman attempted to arrange an in-person sexual encounter with the teen, convinced her to delete evidence of the relationship and tried to hide the fact that she was a minor. One or more of his social media accounts were reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Hartman confessed to the allegations when he was taken into custody on Oct. 1, and electronic devices were seized, according to the sheriff’s office.
Initial charges filed after the arrest included grooming, pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and pandering obscenity involving a minor. The sheriff’s office has said additional charges could be filed as the investigation continues.
Hartman served as senior vice president and chief development officer of the Catholic Foundation, a charitable and investment foundation that supports Catholic causes throughout the 23-county Diocese of Columbus.
