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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The former superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen on a federal form and knowingly possessed several firearms illegally, according to a newly returned indictment that raises the prospect of a lengthy prison term.
A federal grand jury issued the two-count indictment Thursday charging former Des Moines schools superintendent Ian Roberts with one count of making a false statement for employment and one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm while being in the country illegally. Together, the charges carry a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Roberts, who is originally from Guyana and worked for two decades in school districts across the U.S., was detained Sept. 26 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in a targeted operation that shocked the community.
Authorities said Roberts lacked authorization to work in the U.S. and fled from agents who conducted a traffic stop while he was driving his district-issued Jeep Cherokee. Roberts was later apprehended in a wooded area with help from the Iowa State Patrol. Authorities found a handgun wrapped in a towel inside his car, investigators said, along with $3,000 cash.
Des Moines Public Schools hired Roberts in 2023 to lead its district of about 30,000 students. Days after being detained, Roberts resigned from his job, which included an annual salary of $286,716.
The indictment alleges that Roberts made a “false attestation” on a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Eligibility Verification form, known as an I-9, claiming he was a U.S. citizen when he knew he was not.
Roberts’ attorney Alfredo Parrish said his client was not surprised by the indictment and would fight the charges at trial.
“Dr. Roberts intends to enter a not guilty plea because he’s innocent of these charges,” he said. “Our immigration system, as most Americans understand, is in shambles.”
The district on Friday refused to release the I-9 form in response to a public records request filed by The Associated Press, saying it was a confidential personnel record under Iowa law and also part of the federal investigation. District officials have said Roberts also submitted a driver’s license and Social Security card as part of the verification process.
Authorities have said Roberts came to the U.S. in the 1990s and his work authorization expired in 2020. An immigration judge issued a final order for his removal last year after a hearing where Roberts failed to appear, and Roberts’ request to reopen the proceedings was rejected earlier this year. Roberts’ attorney has argued his client was led to believe by a former attorney that the appeal had been resolved in his favor.
After his detention by ICE, Roberts was transferred to U.S. Marshals custody Oct. 2 to face a federal firearms charge. Roberts, 54, remains at the Polk County Jail in Des Moines.
In addition to the one in his vehicle when he was arrested, three other firearms were found during a search of Roberts’ home, authorities said. The indictment describes the four weapons, including two pistols, a rifle and a shotgun.
The firearms charge carries a punishment of up to 15 years in prison, while the false statement charge carries up to five years.
The Department of Homeland Security has publicized a lengthy criminal history for Roberts, including a 2020 arrest in New York state on a charge of criminal possession of a weapon, details of which have been sealed. He was cited in 2021 for a minor firearms violation in Pennsylvania related to his storage of a hunting rifle in his vehicle.
The fallout from the case has been widespread. The district filed a lawsuit alleging the consulting firm it used during the 2023 superintendent search failed to adequately vet Roberts’ background. The firm has defended its work, which included flagging a discrepancy involving a doctorate degree falsely claimed by Roberts on one resume.
State Auditor Rob Sand announced this week that his office will investigate the district’s finances in response to an outside request. The move came after the AP reported that Roberts had pushed to award district business to a firm that employed him as a consultant, despite the conflict of interest.
School Board Chair Jackie Norris ended her campaign for U.S. Senate on Thursday, citing the need to lead the district through the crisis. The district is asking voters to approve a $265 million bond referendum next month that would raise property taxes in order to support program and building improvements.
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Foley reported from Iowa City, Iowa.
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