The former head of Iowa’s largest school district, Ian Roberts, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that he lied about being a U.S. citizen and unlawfully possessed firearms while living in the country illegally.
According to the indictment filed Thursday in Des Moines, Roberts faces two counts, making a false statement for employment and being an undocumented immigrant in possession of a firearm.
Federal officials said Roberts, a native of Guyana who spent two decades working in education leadership across several U.S. states, was detained on September 26 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a targeted operation.
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Authorities allege that Roberts attempted to flee in his district-issued Jeep Cherokee before being found in a nearby wooded area. Inside his vehicle, agents reportedly discovered a handgun wrapped in a towel.
Roberts joined Des Moines Public Schools in 2023 to lead the district’s roughly 30,000 students. Federal prosecutors say he falsely declared himself a U.S. citizen on an Employment Eligibility Verification form, known as an I-9, to secure the position.
Court records show that an immigration judge had ordered his removal from the country last year, and a subsequent appeal to reopen the case was denied earlier this year.
Following his arrest, Roberts was taken into federal custody on October 2 and charged with unlawful firearm possession. Investigators said they found three additional weapons, two pistols, a rifle and a shotgun, during a search of his home.
READ ALSO: Ex-Iowa superintendent faces federal gun charge following immigration arrest
The fallout from the case has rippled through the Des Moines school district. Officials have filed a lawsuit against the consulting firm that led the 2023 superintendent search, after an Associated Press investigation revealed that Roberts had previously been promoted as a consultant by firms hired by other school systems.
Jackie Norris, chair of the Des Moines school board, has since called for a review of Roberts’ spending while in office and announced the suspension of her campaign for the U.S. Senate.
READ ALSO: Iowa school superintendent detained by ICE resigns while challenging deportation
