Devon Horton, the former Superintendent of Evanston-Skokie District 65, was indicted by a grand jury in DeKalb County, Georgia, on August 4. He faces charges of aggravated assault and cruelty to children following a physical altercation with his wife in January, according to DeKalb County court records.
These charges are separate from an October 2025 federal indictment by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois. This indictment accuses Horton of a kickback scheme and misappropriating funds during his time as superintendent at District 65.
Horton led District 65 for four years before resigning in 2023. He then became the superintendent of the DeKalb County School District but resigned following the federal indictment and a forced administrative leave, as reported by the DeKalb County School District.
The August indictment in Georgia charges Horton with one felony count of aggravated assault, involving strangulation, and two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to children in the third degree. These incidents occurred during a domestic dispute on January 16 at Horton’s Stone Mountain home, where his children were present, according to DeKalb County police reports.
DeKalb County Superior Court records state that Horton posted a $27,000 bond. His arraignment is scheduled for September 2. Horton is also expected to return to Illinois for a federal trial in October.
Former Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Superintendent Devon Horton, center, arrives at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on Oct. 23, 2025, to be arraigned on federal charges of fraud stemming from the time Horton was in charge of the school district.
(Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
In the federal case, Horton faces 17 counts of wire fraud, tax evasion, and embezzlement, with a potential combined sentence of 290 years, based on Pioneer Press calculations. Prosecutors allege Horton awarded work contracts to companies owned by acquaintances, namely Antonio Ross, Alfonzo Lewis, and Samuel Ross. These companies reportedly did minimal work yet sent fraudulent invoices to receive payments, allegedly providing Horton with nearly $81,000 in kickbacks.
At his October 2025 arraignment in Chicago, Horton pleaded not guilty to all federal charges. After his indictment, then-District 65 Board President Sergio Hernandez and Vice President Nichole Pinkard expressed deep concern about the allegations while declining further comment to avoid impacting the investigation.
Prior to his tenure in District 65, Horton served as chief of schools in Jefferson County, Kentucky. His career began with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), advancing from a teacher to principal, and then assistant superintendent for East St. Louis Public School District 189.