Guyana-born former school superintendent jailed in US for claiming to be American

Last Updated on Friday, 29 May 2026, 15:33 by Denis Chabrol

Reproduced from Iowa Public Radio

Former Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) Superintendent, Guyanese Ian Roberts was sentenced Friday to two years in prison after pleading guilty to federal immigration and weapons charges.

Roberts was the first Black superintendent at DMPS. He led the state’s largest school district from July 2023 until he resigned in October following his arrest by ICE officers.

In a plea deal reached with prosecutors, Roberts admitted to lying about being a citizen when he was hired by the school district. He did not have authorization to work in the U.S. at that time. A judge issued an order to remove him from the country in 2024.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm without legal status in the U.S. Investigators found four guns in Roberts’ car and home after he was arrested, including a loaded handgun in his district-issued car.

Roberts will be credited for the time he’s already been incarcerated since his arrest, which his attorney said could be around nine months by the time he’s transported.

Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger recommended for Roberts to be sent to a facility that would expedite his deportation after his sentence is completed. Roberts is a native of Guyana and is expected to be deported to the South American country after he serves his sentence.

U.S. Attorney David Waterman had recommended a prison sentence of 37 months, while Roberts’ defense attorneys had asked for probation.