2 years after his controversial hiring, DeKalb County superintendent facing federal indictment

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The DeKalb County School Board swore in the new interim superintendent Friday morning, as Superintendent Devon Horton is facing a federal indictment out of his former school district in Illinois.

The indictment alleges during his time as superintendent of Evanston/Skokie School District 65 from 2020 to 2023, he was part of a scheme to defraud the school district of money and property.

It claims he abused his power as superintendent to award certain people contracts in exchange for receiving some money back.

One of those people also named in the indictment was almost hired to work in the DeKalb County school district in 2023.

RELATED: DeKalb County school superintendent federally indicted on criminal charges

Horton’s hiring back in 2023 was not without controversy and heated public forums from parents and educators.

“One thing I want to say right now Dr. Horton, I would like to know, who brought you into the school system when you wasn’t even on the list?” said a man in the crowd of one of those public forums.

The board hired Horton with a 6-1 vote, despite State Superintendent Richard Woods asking the board to pause their search to give the interim superintendent at the time a chance to give the district stability.

Dr. Joyce Morley, now a former board member, was the sole no vote, citing concerns over his ability to lead a district of 92,000 students after working with roughly 8,000 in Illinois. Shortly after he was hired, she questioned Horton’s push to hire five staff members in the central office in his first week.

“Haven’t been on the job a week, and you’re trying to get all the friends and everybody into central office as possible,” she said during a 2023 school board meeting.

One of those picks is named in this new federal indictment — Antonio Ross.

According to our partners with Decaturish and the Associated Press, Horton and the school board offered Ross a position back in 2023, but Ross declined the job amid questions about the business relationship between the two men.

During public forums, people raised questions about Horton’s leadership record and a 2021 federal lawsuit from his former district that accused officials of prompting “race-based programming.”

“I’m an experienced leader, I don’t run from anything,” Horton said during a 2023 forum with the community.

RELATED: DeKalb County parents disappointed but not surprised after superintendent federally indicted

Now, looking at how they got here two years later, DeKalb County parent Phaylicia Murphy said she’s disappointed, but not all that surprised.

“It’s disappointing to know that you can hold those types of positions and be in a position to serve, and instead, potentially looking for a way to serve yourself,” said Murphy.

On Friday, Morley said this could’ve been avoided “if (the board) could’ve communicated effectively, listened to each other, talked to each other and looked at the things that are here when there are red flags all around.”

“We’ve got to stop kicking those red flags over and going in our own direction without paying it attention,” she said.

Morley stepped down from the DeKalb County Board of Education following an ethics complaint and didn’t seek reelection.

Federal charges against Horton outlined years before district hired him

Federal charges against Horton mirror allegations uncovered by a Chicago-area watchdog journalist years before the district hired him, raising questions about what school board members knew during the hiring process.

The federal indictment claims three companies funneled kickbacks to Horton in exchange for business when he was superintendent in Evanston, Illinois.

Public records posted online by independent journalist Tom Hayden reveal Horton allegedly steered no-bid contracts to the same three companies worth tens of thousands of dollars while working at his former district. The findings, published on Substack by Hayden, were published in March 2023 — nearly a month before the DeKalb County School District hired Horton and almost three years before the indictment.

Questionable expenses revealed

In August 2024, Hayden published more documents revealing Horton allegedly used $12,000 of Illinois tax dollars to move to Georgia in 2023, including a $3,000 stay at the Atlanta Evergreen Hotel in Stone Mountain, a $256 dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse in Tucker and $1,400 at Target stores in Georgia.

Horton ended up reimbursing the Illinois school district. An email obtained by Atlanta News First Investigates shows the DeKalb County School District may have been aware of these purchases.

Horton’s attorney said he is eager to address the case in court but did not respond specifically to Hayden’s findings.

Atlanta News First also reached out to the DeKalb school board chair and vice chair, asking if the board was aware of any of the allegations prior to Horton’s indictment.

The district said it does not respond to confidential personnel matters.

A new interim superintendent

Dr. Norman Sauce is now serving as the interim superintendent. Horton is on paid leave.

Dr. Sauce released a statement on the district’s official Youtube channel Friday.