Former Des Moines schools chief pleads guilty to falsely claiming US citizenship and gun charge

The erstwhile superintendent of Iowa’s largest schoolhouse territory pleaded blameworthy Thursday to 2 national charges, including falsely claiming to beryllium a U.S. citizen.

Ian Andre Roberts, a autochthonal of Guyana successful South America, was the person of Des Moines Public Schools. He besides admitted to being an amerciable alien successful possession of firearms.

Federal migration officers detained Roberts connected Sept. 26, 2025, and helium resigned from the district’s apical station soon afterward.

Under the presumption of the plea agreement, Roberts acknowledged possessing 4 firearms, including a loaded Glock handgun recovered successful his conveyance astatine the clip of his arrest, on with a rifle, a shotgun and different pistol recovered during a hunt of his residence.

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Ian Roberts, the erstwhile superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, speaks to students astatine Theodore Roosevelt High School successful Des Moines, connected Oct. 21, 2024. (Jon Lemons/Des Moines Public Schools via AP)

Court records authorities each the firearms had traveled crossed authorities lines, giving national authorities jurisdiction. Roberts has agreed to permanently forfeit the weapons and waived immoderate close to situation the forfeiture present oregon successful the future.

Roberts initially pleaded not blameworthy and was scheduled to basal proceedings successful March. His blameworthy plea present exposes him to a combined maximum condemnation of up to 20 years successful situation connected the 2 charges.

The statement besides states Roberts understands helium could beryllium deported pursuing completion of immoderate sentence. A sentencing day has not yet been set, and prosecutors agreed not to prosecute further charges.

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Former Des Moines Public School superintendent, Ian Roberts, was arrested connected migration and weapons charges. (Polk County Sheriff/Associated Press)

The Department of Homeland Security has antecedently said Roberts has an extended transgression past involving cause and weapons offenses.

"Ian Andre Roberts, a transgression amerciable alien with aggregate weapons charges and a cause trafficking charge, should person ne'er been capable to enactment astir children," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said astatine the clip of his arrest. "When ICE officers arrested this superintendent, helium was successful possession of an amerciable handgun, a hunting knife, and astir $3,000 successful cash."

A national expansive assemblage returned a two-count indictment against Roberts successful October. According to tribunal records, Roberts admitted helium knowingly and intentionally made a "false attestation" connected an Employment Eligibility Verification form, known arsenic an I-9, submitted successful Des Moines, claiming helium was a U.S. citizen. 

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Ian Roberts, the erstwhile superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, delivers an yearly code astatine North High School successful Des Moines, Iowa, connected Feb. 11, 2025. (Jon Lemons/Des Moines Public Schools via AP)

District officials said Roberts completed the I-9 erstwhile helium was hired successful 2023, submitting a Social Security paper and a driver’s licence arsenic documentation. He besides claimed U.S. citizenship successful an exertion to the authorities committee of acquisition examiners, which issued him a nonrecreational head licence that year.

Authorities said Roberts was issued a announcement to look earlier an migration justice successful October 2020, months earlier his enactment authorization expired, and was aboriginal taxable to a last bid of removal successful 2024. District officials told The Associated Press they were unaware of immoderate immigration-related issues involving Roberts.

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Alfredo Parrish, 1 of Roberts’ attorneys, has said his lawsuit believed, based connected proposal from a erstwhile lawyer, that his migration lawsuit had been "resolved successfully."

Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman, Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.