(Des Moines, IA) -- Former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts may be sending messages from the Polk County Jail. Roberts LinkedIn page features several posts from behind bars, attributed to the disgraced educator. The author does not reference the allegations against Roberts directly, but does refer to life in jail including interactions with other inmates.
"I had just arrived at my second detention center—ankles shackled, wrists chained at the waist. I was still in street clothes, waiting to change into my jumpsuit. The holding cell, meant for maybe ten men, held more than twenty. We were packed. And yet, even there… leadership seemed to have followed me in. " - Posted on LinkedIn for Ian Roberts
Roberts was taken into custody in September by ICE. He later resigned as superintendent from Des Moines Public Schools. A federal grand jury has indicted Roberts for lying about his citizenship status, on his i-9 form. Court documents show Roberts said he was a United States citizen, when he knew he was not. The grand jury also indicted Roberts for illegally owning firearms.
In November Des Moines Public Schools released a report on the hiring of Roberts. The law firm hired to investigate the process, Dickinson Bradshaw, found issues with the hiring firm JG Consulting and its background-check process. They say JG Consulting provided the district with an incorrect version of Roberts resume on multiple occasions. The report also says that while the school board was aware of Roberts’ 2021 gun citation, they didn't know of any immigration issues.
The 54-year-old is in federal custody in the Polk County Jail in Des Moines. He faces multiple charges including being in the country illegally, illegal possession of firearms, and falsely claiming he was a U.S. citizen. He has pleaded not guilty. His trial is scheduled for March 2, 2026.