The criminal illegal immigrant who until last fall led Des Moines’ public schools could serve up to 20 years in prison after entering guilty pleas to two felony charges Thursday in federal court.
At a hearing in Des Moines, Ian Roberts agreed to plead guilty to possessing a weapon as an illegal alien and lying about his immigration status on employee forms when he began his two-year-plus tenure as superintendent of Iowa’s largest public school system. The gun charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years, while the charge of making false statements comes with a 5-year sentence. Each charge includes a maximum $250,000 fine and three years of supervised supervision.
Roberts also may be deported following the completion of his sentence, according to the plea agreement. In return, federal prosecutors have agreed they won’t file additional charges related to the weapons and falsification offenses in the Southern District of Iowa. And the Guyanese foreign national won’t have go through a nationally-watched trial, which had been scheduled for March.
His sentencing is scheduled for May.
In a statement to KCCI in Des Moines, the school district said it is not commenting on, nor is Des Moines Public Schools involved in, Roberts’ legal proceedings.
“Our focus at DMPS remains on serving the educational needs of students in Des Moines and delivering on commitments made to our community, including the voter-approved bond to advance our Reimagining Education initiative,” the statement reads.
Interestingly, the former superintendent is credited with directing the community committee that created the initiative, tied to Roberts’ DEI-driven “Strategic Plan.” The plan’s top priority calls for “Cultivating Equity & Excellence Through High Quality Teaching & Learning”. Despite Roberts’ troubles with the law, district voters overwhelmingly voted for the $265 million referendum to fund its “Reimagining Education, Reinvigorating Schools” proposal that the former superintendent had shepherded.
‘The Facts Have Not Changed’
Roberts was the district’s prize DEI hire. His fall from grace was stunning.
When law enforcement officers apprehended him on Sept. 26, Roberts was carrying a Glock 9mm, a fixed-blade hunting knife and $3,000 in cash, according to court records. He quickly resigned as the board prepared to fire him. It turned out, as the Department of Homeland Security reported, that Roberts had a long criminal history, including charges for possession of narcotics with intent to sell, criminal possession of a forgery instrument, and other offenses. He’s been convicted of reckless driving and has previously been convicted of criminal gun possession charges.
Hired in the spring of 2023, Roberts hadn’t been authorized to work in the U.S. since 2020, ABC News reported. He received his final order of removal in 2024.
DHS previously reported that “Roberts’ immigration history includes two visas, four Green Card applications and subsequent denials, and several trips.” And it all began in 1994 when he came to the U.S. on a B-2 nonimmigrant visa. He was classified as a visitor for pleasure. He departed the U.S. but returned before his 1996 arrest for narcotics possession, DHS said. Why Roberts wasn’t deported at that time is unclear.
During his arrest, law enforcement authorities found a loaded 9 mm Sig Sauer pistol, a loaded 270-caliber Remington rifle, and a 20-gauge Remington shotgun a his home. As part of the plea agreement, Roberts must forfeit the guns.
Last week, after reports of a possible plea deal surfaced, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told The Federalist, “The facts have not changed: 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.”
“Under Secretary Noem, ICE will continue to arrest the worst of the worst and put the safety of America’s children FIRST,” she added.
