Devon Horton to enter plea deal in federal fraud case

Devon Horton, the former superintendent of Evanston/Skokie School District 65, is expected to enter a plea agreement next week. Horton was federally indicted on 17 counts, including embezzlement, wire fraud, and tax fraud, related to an alleged kickback scheme operating between January 2022 and August 2024.

The indictment alleges that Horton and his co-defendants used fake service contracts to divert funds from District 65 and Chicago Public Schools. According to prosecutors, Horton’s associates sent him kickbacks from fraudulent earnings obtained through these contracts.

One co-defendant, Samuel Ross, has already entered a plea deal. Ross pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and has agreed to cooperate with the government, providing truthful testimony against Horton and two other co-defendants. Ross admitted to receiving approximately $124,500 through the scheme and paying at least $30,000 back to Horton in cash. Horton’s attorney noted that his upcoming plea agreement will not include a cooperation deal with prosecutors.