The arrest and charges
Roberts was pulled over in a school-issued Jeep Cherokee during the Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation and allegedly fled from federal agents. The vehicle was discovered abandoned near a wooded area. Authorities located Roberts with the assistance of state troopers. Federal agents found a loaded handgun wrapped in a towel under the vehicle’s seat and $3,000 in cash, according to law enforcement officials.
A federal grand jury indicted Roberts on two counts in October. According to the plea agreement, Roberts admits he made a “false attestation” on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Eligibility Verification form, known as an I-9, claiming he was a U.S. citizen despite lacking authorization to work. This charge carries a maximum prison sentence of five years and a fine.
Roberts also faces a federal weapons charge carrying up to 15 years in prison and a fine. The indictment describes two pistols, a rifle, and a shotgun found in his possession—one in the vehicle at the time of arrest and three located during a search of his home. Roberts will agree to forfeit all weapons as part of the plea agreement.
Immigration history
Roberts, a native of Guyana, first entered the United States in 1994 on a nonimmigrant visa. He returned in 1999 on an F-1 student visa set to expire in March 2004. Federal officials said he applied for a green card in 2003, but the application was denied by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
His next documented immigration interaction occurred in 2018, when he obtained work authorization. A second application for work authorization was approved but expired in December 2020. According to federal authorities, Roberts has not held valid work authorization since then. He was issued a notice to appear before an immigration judge in October 2020, and a final removal order was issued in 2024.
The hiring and deception
Roberts completed the I-9 form when hired as superintendent in 2023, submitting a Social Security card and driver’s license as verification documents. He also stated he was a U.S. citizen in his application to the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners, which issued him a professional administrator license in 2023.
District officials said they were not aware of Roberts’ immigration status or pending immigration proceedings when he was hired.
The plea and sentencing
Roberts initially pleaded not guilty when indicted. His plea agreement indicates he is aware he could face deportation after serving his sentence. Prosecutors agreed not to pursue additional charges related to these counts and agreed to recommend some leniency at sentencing, though the judge will determine his final sentence.
According to Alfredo Parrish, one of Roberts’ attorneys, Roberts believed his immigration case had been “resolved successfully” based on advice from a prior attorney. Parrish declined to comment Wednesday on the plea agreement.
A trial had been scheduled to begin in early March.