On May 29, 2026, U.S. District Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger sentenced former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Andre Roberts to 24 months in federal prison.

Roberts pleaded guilty to False Statement for Employment and Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm. After serving his sentence, he will be handed over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deported to Guyana.

According to court documents, Roberts falsely claimed United States citizenship on employment paperwork related to his position at Des Moines Public Schools in June 2023. He has never been a U.S. citizen. On September 26, 2025, authorities discovered Roberts knowingly possessed a loaded Glock pistol in his vehicle while aware he was unlawfully present in the United States and also had three additional firearms at his residence, including a loaded pistol, rifle, and shotgun.

ICE arrested Roberts on that date during a targeted enforcement operation after identifying him as a Guyana national with a final order of removal and no work authorization. Roberts entered the U.S. in 1999 on a student visa and received a final deportation order from an immigration judge in May 2024.

The sentence includes approximately eight months of credit for time already served, with no plans to appeal. Prosecutors had sought 37 months, while defense counsel requested probation to expedite his removal process.

Roberts’ legal troubles began in September 2025 when ICE executed a warrant targeting him as an illegal alien with active deportation proceedings. His prior weapon possession charges date to February 5, 2020.