Just when we thought the fireworks were over, the real drama is just heating up in the high-stakes corruption case of Robert Horton, the disgraced former Economic Development Director for Scioto County.
We told you back in May that the entire court schedule had been thrown out the window. Now, new entries on the court docket show that while the long-awaited trial won’t kick off this summer as planned, it hasn’t been scrapped—just shoved into the slow lane.
📅 Timeline Update:
Let’s break it down.
- Original trial date: July 28, 2025
- As of May: All dates vacated by court order
- July 3: A new status conference scheduled for July 30 at 9:30 a.m.
- June 20: Special Prosecutor Samuel J. Kirk and defense attorneys John O’Shea, Jesse Knowlden, and Edward McTigue met for a telephonic status conference
- Still no word on a new trial date or when “John and Jane Doe”—the mysterious unnamed co-conspirators—will be unmasked
Presiding over this legal labyrinth? None other than Retired Judge Dean Evans from Gallia County, brought in to steer clear of any hometown bias.
💣 The Charges That Rocked the County
Let’s not forget the Valentine’s Day bombshell that kicked this whole circus off:
On February 14, the Scioto County Grand Jury handed down a 15-count indictment against Horton, accusing him of masterminding one of the most outrageous government rip-offs in county history.
Robert Horton is facing:
- Theft in Office
- Aggravated Theft
- Money Laundering
- Bribery
- Tampering with Public Records
His wife, Lioubov Horton, isn’t far behind, with 12 charges, including:
- Telecommunications Fraud
- Tampering with Evidence
Her separate trial was originally set for September 2, with a final pretrial on August 18—but if Robert’s trial is any indication, those dates may not hold water for long.
🕵️ The Alleged Scheme: Dirty Deals & Faked Paper Trails
Prosecutors say the Hortons created a fake business to funnel public money from SOPA and Minford Emergency Ambulance Service into their own pockets. The charges accuse Horton of:
- Using bogus commissions to line his wife’s pockets
- Falsifying public records
- Telling businesses to destroy evidence once the State Auditor got involved
❗The Countdown Was On—Now It’s on Pause
With the original trial schedule tossed aside and the clock reset, all eyes are now on the July 30 status conference. Until then, the case remains in limbo, with millions of taxpayer dollars potentially at stake.
Scioto County residents want answers. And justice. But for now, they’ll have to settle for another round of “wait and see.”
Stay tuned, because when this powder keg finally blows, we’ll be here to bring you every jaw-dropping twist. Only on SCDN.
Publisher’s Note: SCDN was contacted by the attorney for John Doe #2 listed in the indictment. That attorney disclosed the identity of his client. The attorney requested several pieces of information that included sources and methods. We told the attorney to review our public reporting and that will serve as our only response. This is a common practice. Attorneys will ask for things in hopes of getting “lucky”. If an attorney reaches out to you, always contact your personal attorney before answering any questions.