The former superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district pleaded guilty Thursday to two federal charges, including falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen.
Ian Andre Roberts, born in Guyana, South America, was the leader of the Des Moines Public Schools.
He also admitted to being an illegal alien in possession of weapons.
Federal immigration officials arrested Roberts on September 26, 2025, and he resigned from the District’s top post shortly afterward.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Roberts acknowledged possessing four guns, including a loaded Glock pistol found in his vehicle at the time of his arrest, along with a rifle, a shotgun and another handgun recovered during a search of his home.
Court records show that all the weapons were moved across state lines, giving federal authorities jurisdiction.
Roberts has agreed to permanently forfeit the weapons and has waived any right to challenge the forfeiture now or in the future.
Roberts initially pleaded not guilty and was scheduled to stand trial in March.
His guilty plea now exposes him to a combined maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison on the two charges.
The agreement also states that Roberts understands that he may be deported after serving a sentence. A sentencing date has not yet been set and prosecutors have agreed not to file additional charges.
The Department of Homeland Security previously said Roberts has an extensive criminal history that includes drug and weapons offenses.
“Ian Andre Roberts, a criminal illegal alien with multiple weapons charges and a drug trafficking charge, should never have been allowed to work around children,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said at the time of his arrest.
“When ICE agents arrested this chief inspector, he was in possession of an illegal handgun, a hunting knife and nearly $3,000 in cash.”
A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Roberts in October. According to court documents, Roberts admitted that he knowingly made a “false statement” on an employment eligibility verification form, known as an I-9, filed in Des Moines, claiming he was a U.S. citizen.
District officials said Roberts completed I-9 when he was hired in 2023, with documentation showing a Social Security card and driver’s license.
He also claimed U.S. citizenship in an application to the state Board of Educational Examiners, which granted him a professional administrator license that year.
Authorities said Roberts received a summons to appear before an immigration judge in October 2020, months before his work permit expired, and was later issued a final removal order in 2024.
District officials told The Associated Press they were not aware of any immigration-related issues involving Roberts.
Alfredo Parrish, one of Roberts’ attorneys, has said that, based on advice from a previous attorney, his client believed his immigration case had been “successfully resolved.”
Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman, Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
