Ian Roberts, former superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS), has agreed to plead guilty to two charges in federal court rather than go to trial.
The plea agreement is the latest development in Roberts' case, which sparked initial outcry then confusion in the community after he was arrested by ICE in September. As the former head of Iowa's largest school district, Roberts' detention prompted his resignation before he was later federally indicted in October on two counts.
Roberts was charged with making a false statement for employment and possessing firearms without legal status in the U.S. He appeared in court Thursday, handcuffed and in a prison uniform, to plead guilty to both counts brought against him.
During the change of plea hearing, attorney Alfredo Parrish said he reviewed all defenses with Roberts, including justifying his possession of firearms as self-defense. Parrish said Roberts received threats while serving as superintendent.
"I would say folks should not get ahead of their skis, like I said the last time I met publicly with everyone, sentencing will be the day that will be most important, that we will bring out, we believe, factors that could impact his sentencing," Parrish told reporters after the hearing.
According to the agreement, Roberts won't be prosecuted for any additional federal charges in the Southern District of Iowa regarding his false claim of citizenship on his I-9 form or his possession of firearms while not having legal status.
The agreement also states Roberts' guilty plea could restrict his ability to challenge removal orders against him in the future. And, he could be subject to immediate removal after he serves his sentence. Since Roberts' firearm charge is an aggravated felony, the agreement states Roberts could face higher penalties if he leaves the country and enters the U.S. again unlawfully.
Roberts has been in custody since his arrest in September. His sentencing date is set for May 29.
Magistrate Judge Helen C. Adams, who conducted the plea hearing, said she will recommend Roberts' sentencing judge accept his plea deal. District Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger will decide whether to accept Roberts's guilty plea and issue his sentence.
Parrish declined to answer how he thought the case would have turned out had it gone to trial or why Roberts pleaded guilty.
"I won't go into that because he said he was guilty," Parrish said. "Yeah, he had done these things. I mean, they don't thrill you, but these are things that he did. He wants to accept responsibility for it."
In the plea deal, Roberts admitted he knowingly lied on his I-9 form that he filled out in June 2023 to verify his employment eligibility for DMPS. The agreement also states Roberts knew he was unlawfully in the country, including when he was apprehended by ICE in September.
Making a false statement for employment carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, plus a maximum term of supervised release of three years. Possessing firearms without legal status comes with a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The charge also comes with a maximum supervised release of three years.
The prison sentences may be served consecutively, according to the agreement.
"I will say, this is not one of the happiest moments of my legal career, which has been pretty long," Parrish said. "Dr. Roberts has come up and accepted responsibility for his conduct."
Roberts also agreed to forfeit four firearms, including a pistol found in his DMPS vehicle when he was arrested, plus another pistol, rifle and shotgun court filings say were found in his home during a search by federal agents.
Roberts' history at DMPS
Roberts is a native of Guyana and started working for DMPS in July 2023. According to prosecutors, Roberts has not been authorized to work in the country since December 2020.
The former superintendent had applied for a green card four times between 2001 and 2018, according to court filings. His most recent application was denied due to failing to respond to an additional request for information.
Roberts was issued a final order of removal in May 2024, according to court filings.
Since Roberts' arrest and resignation, DMPS and a Pennsylvania school district Roberts previously worked at have both filed lawsuits against the search firms they used to find and hire Roberts.
The DMPS lawsuit alleges negligence and breach of contract against JG Consulting.
