Public Education Leadership Vetting

Former Des Moines schools superintendent Ian Roberts has signed a plea agreement and is expected to plead guilty to falsely attesting to U.S. citizenship on an I‑9 and to unlawful possession of firearms as a non‑citizen, with the deal acknowledging he could be deported and exposing him to maximum penalties of five years and $250,000 on the false‑statement count and 15 years and $250,000 on the firearms count. Court filings and ICE say he fled a Sept. 26, 2025 traffic stop after which agents found a loaded handgun wrapped in a towel and $3,000 in a school‑issued Jeep Cherokee and later seized three more guns from his home; filings also outline a long immigration history ending in a 2024 final removal order that district officials say they were unaware of.