Ex-Iowa schools chief gets 2-year sentence on immigration, gun charges

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Roberts had led one of the state’s largest school districts, which serves more than 30,000 students, from 2023 until he was arrested last September by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and federally indicted on two counts. His arrest stunned many in the community, who rallied behind him in his defense. Court documents show Roberts pleaded guilty to lying about his citizenship on employment papers. Federal investigators alleged Roberts had spent years working in U.S. school systems without proper authorization to do so. Investigators also uncovered four loaded guns in his possession — three at his residence and one in his car. School district officials said they were completely unaware that Roberts’s citizenship status was inaccurate, telling KCCI Des Moines that there were no red flags in his hiring process. Prosecutors sought a three-year sentence for Roberts, writing in court documents that he “cultivated a public image grounded in integrity, leadership and authenticity” but had “engaged in conduct that undermined those values.” Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger sentenced Roberts to 24 months and recommended his removal from the country upon completion of his sentence. Roberts, a Guyana native, was the first Black superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools. He was a former Olympic athlete who competed for Guyana and had previously worked in the education sector in multiple states for two decades. Add as preferred source on Google Tags Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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