LINCOLNTON, Ga. — Hartwell Cooper Cliatt, a 78-year-old Lincoln County Commissioner, was arrested on two counts of child molestation following an investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office initiated the inquiry on May 22, 2024, after receiving an allegation of child molestation against Cliatt. On January 27, 2025, a Lincoln County grand jury indicted Cliatt on the charges, prompting his arrest. He turned himself in to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office the following day.

Cliatt, who was elected to the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners in 2008, was released on a $50,000 bond. The GBI has urged anyone with information relevant to the case to contact their regional investigative office in Thomson, Georgia, at 706-595-2575. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the GBI’s online portal or via the See Something, Send Something mobile app.

Cliatt, who founded Augusta Telephone in 1983 and later developed Cliatt Crossing in Lincoln County, has been a prominent figure in the region’s business and civic life. He has served as an executive member of the Metro Augusta Chamber of Commerce and held leadership roles in the Augusta Better Business Bureau and Columbia County Chamber of Commerce. Cliatt also founded and chaired the Augusta Technical College Alumni Association.

The case continues to unfold, and authorities are encouraging the public to come forward with any additional information.