Iowa superintendent Ian Andre Roberts pleaded guilty to falsely claiming U.S. citizenship and illegal gun possession and faces up to 20 years in prison and deportation.
The former superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district pleaded guilty Thursday to two federal charges, including falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen.
Ian Andre Roberts, a native of Guyana in South America, was the leader of Des Moines Public Schools. He also admitted to being an illegal alien in possession of guns.
Federal immigration officers detained Roberts Sept. 26, 2025, and he resigned from the district’s top post shortly after.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Roberts acknowledged possessing four guns, including a loaded Glock handgun found in his vehicle at the time of his arrest, along with a rifle, a shotgun and another pistol recovered during a search of his home.
Court records say all the guns were moved across state lines, giving federal authorities jurisdiction. Roberts has agreed to permanently forfeit the weapons and waived any right to challenge the forfeiture now or in the future.
