UNITED STATES: School Superintendent Charged After Falsely Claiming U.S. Citizenship to Vote and Own Gun
The former leader of Des Moines Public Schools is facing federal charges after authorities say he lived and worked in the U.S. illegally while earning nearly $300,000 a year.
Ian Roberts, a native of Guyana, led the district despite having a final removal order issued by an immigration judge in 2024, according to court records.
ICE arrested Roberts in September 2025 after he fled a traffic stop in his school-issued vehicle. During the stop, agents say they found a loaded handgun, cash, and a knife in the vehicle.
Public records show Roberts received speeding tickets in Iowa in 2023 and 2024 listing Maryland addresses. Iowa law requires new residents to obtain an Iowa driver’s license within 30 days, but he continued using a Maryland license.
Maryland voter rolls also listed Roberts as a registered Democrat. Officials say he signed registration forms under penalty of perjury claiming U.S. citizenship — a requirement to legally register and vote.
Roberts later pleaded guilty to falsely claiming citizenship and to illegal possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to two years in prison and now faces deportation following his sentence.
The case has sparked renewed debate over immigration enforcement, election integrity, and oversight of public officials.