The senior vice president and chief development officer of the Catholic Foundation in Columbus has been arrested for online sexual abuse of a minor.
Scott Richard Hartman, 49, was arrested at his home Thursday by the Franklin County Sheriff's Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Hartman was the leader of the Catholic Foundation that supports Catholic causes throughout the 23-county Diocese of Columbus.
Authorities say Hartman was named by a teenage victim who reported to school counselors that she had engaged in a 6-month online relationship with Hartman that included text messages and video calls. Officials say the contact involved video sex acts and the exchange of nude images and videos.
The sheriff's office said Hartman confessed to the allegations after his arrest. Investigators said he had convinced the victim to delete any evidence and attempted to hide that she was a minor.
Hartman was charged with grooming, pandering sexually-oriented matter involving a minor and pandering obscenity involving a minor.
Additional charges may be filed as the investigation continues.
The Catholic Diocese of Columbus responded in an email to WOSU saying Hartman was immediately terminated from his position after he was arrested.
The statement also said the Catholic Foundation takes the allegations seriously, and the organization is fully cooperating with law enforcement.
"The Catholic Foundation, a foundation of the Catholic Diocese of Columbus, holds its employees to a high standard of conduct with regular and thorough background verification processes. Any violation, whether alleged or credible, is met with a swift response," the statement said.
