Former Iowa School Superintendent Sentenced
The ex-superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district received a two-year prison sentence on Friday after admitting guilt in January to falsifying his U.S. citizenship on job applications and illegally possessing a firearm while in the country unlawfully.
Ian Andre Roberts, who held a significant position at Des Moines Public Schools, is likely to be deported back to his hometown in South America, Guyana, following his prison term, as reported by his attorney and the Associated Press.
This verdict marks a significant decline in what had been a two-decade-long career in urban education. The circumstances began to unfold after Roberts was detained during Operation Immigration and resigned in 2025.
Prosecutors claimed that Roberts knowingly provided false information about his citizenship while employed in the district, which serves around 30,000 students.
They highlighted that Roberts submitted a fake Social Security card during the hiring process and misrepresented his citizenship on his application to the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners, which granted him a professional administrator license in the same year.
Roberts was initially arrested on September 26, 2025. At that time, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) noted that he was driving a school vehicle when approached by officers. Allegedly, he fled from the scene, abandoning the vehicle and attempting to conceal himself before being found by State Patrol officers. During the arrest, a loaded handgun was discovered in the car, along with approximately $3,000 in cash.
Under his plea deal, Roberts admitted to owning several guns, with a loaded Glock located in his vehicle. Other firearms were later found during a search of his residence, including a rifle, a shotgun, and another pistol.
Authorities recounted that Roberts received a notice to appear before an immigration judge in October 2020, several months before his work permit expired and prior to his employment in the district. Ultimately, he was issued a final order of removal in 2024.
District officials claimed to have had no knowledge of any immigration issues related to Roberts. The Department of Homeland Security revealed that he had a criminal history, including drug possession charges. Though he faced accusations of unauthorized vehicle use, those charges were eventually dropped.
Roberts’ attorney requested probation for him, but the judge denied that appeal. It was reported that he expressed remorse during the sentencing.
Notably, Roberts, married to a U.S. citizen, was denied legal permanent residency because authorities did not fully disclose his past arrest history during the application process. He reportedly believed he didn’t need to mention the charges since they had been dismissed.
After Roberts’ detention, an audit revealed he had been outsourcing district business to a consultancy where he had previously worked, prompting Des Moines Public Schools to reassess its conflict of interest policies.
