After Top School Official Indicted, DeKalb BOE Appoints Interim

DECATUR, GA — A day after DeKalb County School Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton was federally indicted on charges in Illinois, the school district has named his temporary replacement.

The DeKalb County Board of Education appointed Dr. Norman C. Sauce III as acting superintendent, school officials said.

Sauce's appointment came after the Evanston/Skokie School District 65 announced a federal indictment against Horton in the Northern District of Illinois.

The district's board did not detail the nature of the charges but added the indictment relates to "acts he allegedly committed while serving as superintendent of District 65."

RELATED: DeKalb School Superintendent Indicted On Federal Charges In IL

Horton is accused of wire fraud, honest-services fraud, federal program theft and tax evasion in the 17-count indictment, WAGA-TV reported, citing court records.

The indictment claimed Horton did not report all of his income on federal taxes, used a procurement card for personal expenses in 2022 and 2023 and collected kickbacks totaling $81,700 by way of a sibling, WAGA-TV reported.

Horton also was accused of guiding professional contracts to businesses connected to his associates and green-lighting invoices "for work that was not performed," WAGA-TV reported.

Chicago-based Attorney Terence Campbell, representing Horton, told WAGA the allegations against his client are several years old and are not linked to his work in DeKalb.

The BOE on Thursday reportedly voted to put Horton on paid administrative leave during a review.

During this time, Sauce will take the helm of Georgia's third-largest school district.

"Even in times of challenge or change, our commitment to our students and our mission remains steady," Sauce, a former history teacher and former DeKalb chief of student services, said in a video statement published to Facebook on Friday.

"We are one district, one community, united by a shared purpose - to provide the very best education and opportunities for every student and every school. We know that transitions can bring uncertainty, but I want to assure you that our schools are operating as normal. Our students are teachers. Our students are learning and thriving."

DeKalb County Schools are set to go on fall break next week.