Additional Coverage:
- Former Des Moines schools chief pleads guilty to falsely claiming US citizenship and gun charge (foxnews.com)
Former Des Moines Schools Superintendent Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges, Including False Citizenship Claim
DES MOINES, IA – The former superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district, Ian Andre Roberts, pleaded guilty Thursday to two federal charges, including falsely claiming U.S. citizenship and being an illegal alien in possession of firearms. Roberts, a native of Guyana, previously led the Des Moines Public Schools.
Roberts was detained by federal immigration officers on September 26, 2025, and subsequently resigned from his leadership role. As part of his plea agreement, Roberts admitted to possessing four firearms: a loaded Glock handgun found in his vehicle at the time of his arrest, and a rifle, a shotgun, and another pistol recovered from his home.
Court records indicate these weapons were transported across state lines, establishing federal jurisdiction. Roberts has agreed to permanently forfeit the weapons and waive any future challenges to their forfeiture.
Initially, Roberts had pleaded not guilty and was slated for trial in March. His guilty plea now makes him eligible for a combined maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
The agreement also specifies that Roberts understands he faces potential deportation after completing any sentence. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled, and prosecutors have agreed not to pursue additional charges.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) previously disclosed Roberts’ extensive criminal history, which includes past drug and weapons offenses. “Ian Andre Roberts, a criminal illegal alien with multiple weapons charges and a drug trafficking charge, should have never been able to work around children,” stated DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin at the time of his arrest. McLaughlin added that at the time of his apprehension, Roberts was found with an illegal handgun, a hunting knife, and nearly $3,000 in cash.
A federal grand jury indicted Roberts on two counts in October. Court records show Roberts admitted to knowingly and intentionally making a “false attestation” on an I-9 employment eligibility verification form submitted in Des Moines, where he claimed to be a U.S. citizen.
District officials reported that Roberts completed the I-9 when hired in 2023, providing a Social Security card and a driver’s license. He also claimed U.S. citizenship in an application to the state board of educational examiners, which issued him a professional administrator license that same year.
Authorities confirmed that Roberts was issued a notice to appear before an immigration judge in October 2020, months before his work authorization expired, and was later subject to a final order of removal in 2024. Des Moines school district officials informed The Associated Press they were unaware of any immigration-related issues concerning Roberts.
Alfredo Parrish, one of Roberts’ attorneys, stated that his client believed, based on advice from a previous lawyer, that his immigration case had been “resolved successfully.”