Defendants Plead Guilty in Kickback Scheme
The remaining individuals involved in the kickback scheme initiated by former Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Superintendent Devon Horton have pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges, concluding what was expected to be a prominent criminal trial. Antonio Ross and Alfonzo Lewis, both aged 49, admitted guilt in federal court concerning a federal wire fraud charge on October 13, which can result in up to 20 years of imprisonment, as stated by the U.S. attorney’s office for the Northern District of Illinois.
Earlier this month, Horton agreed on a plea deal and admitted to guilt on three of the 16 felony charges he faced, including wire fraud, embezzlement, and tax evasion. His sentencing has been scheduled for January 5, 2027, by Judge Thomas M. Durkin. Samuel Ross, aged 47, was the first among the defendants to agree to a plea deal, confessing to wire fraud on September 29, as federal court records indicate. The upcoming trial, originally set for October 21, has been averted as all four defendants have amended their initial pleas from not guilty.
Fraud Scheme Details
Prosecutors allege Horton manipulated his position in the school to authorize District 65 work contracts for companies owned by the three men, in return for kickbacks and extra payments. During his tenure at District 65, Antonio Ross secured around $119,500 from work contracts and gave Horton over $41,900 from the contract proceeds. Lewis acquired about $24,000 from contracts and gave Horton at least $6,000 in kickbacks. Samuel Ross obtained $124,500 and provided Horton with an additional $30,000 in kickbacks, despite no family relation between Samuel and Antonio Ross.
False Representations Alleged
The federal indictment accuses the three friends of falsely representing the contracts, concealing Horton’s personal or economic benefits from awarding them. In Horton’s plea agreement dated October 5, prosecutors proposed that his plea on these felonies could lessen his sentence duration, possibly ranging between 87 and 108 months, equivalent to seven to nine years. The count of wire fraud, being the most serious, bears a potential maximum sentence of 20 years. Initially, Horton pleaded not guilty to all 17 charges during his arraignment hearing in October 2025, although one of the charges has since been dropped.
Upcoming Sentences and Additional Charges
After Horton’s sentencing on January 5, prosecutors confirmed plans to dismiss the remaining charges. The judge scheduled Lewis’ sentencing for January 25, 2027, and Antonio Ross’ for March 10, 2027. Samuel Ross’ sentencing remains unscheduled, as revealed in the latest news release. Horton also faces an indictment in Georgia with charges of aggravated assault and cruelty to children, following a verbal dispute that escalated with his wife in January, mentioned in DeKalb County court records. No trial date for these charges has been determined yet.
In 2023, Horton resigned from District 65 and subsequently assumed a superintendent role for the DeKalb County School District, Georgia.