Former DMPS superintendent to plead guilty in immigration case
After his detention by ICE in late 2025, Ian Roberts is set to plead guilty to both federal indictments.
Ian Roberts, the former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent, is set to plead guilty to both of his federal indictments after a nearly four-month detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
A plea deal filed Wednesday, weeks before the trial was set to begin, states that he has agreed to plead guilty. According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Roberts was arrested after attempting to flee from ICE officers and abandoning his vehicle in the process. Iowa State Patrol assisted in the search, eventually finding him; they claim Roberts possessed $3,000 in cash, a loaded gun and a knife, which were all found inside his vehicle.
Roberts, originally from Guyana, allegedly entered the United States in 1999 on a student visa. He has no work authorization in the U.S., and a judge issued a final order of removal in 2024, according to ICE.
More updates to come as the news develops.
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