October 7, 2025
Des Moines school officials are suing the consulting company, JG Consulting, that assisted in selecting Roberts as their candidate for the job, but state leaders feel it’s not their fault.
The drama continues in the case against disgraced Iowa Superintendent Ian Roberts, as the school district has filed a lawsuit against the company that vetted him, following the emergence of more details about his criminal past, according to the Associated Press.
Des Moines school officials are suing the consulting company, JG Consulting, which assisted in selecting Roberts as a candidate for the job of overseeing the state’s largest school district, for which he was hired in 2023. As part of the process, Roberts had to undergo a background check and disclose if he was ever charged with a misdemeanor, felony, or major traffic violation — including driving under the influence.
While it isn’t clear how Roberts responded to the questions, public records reveal his lengthy rap sheet includes charges such as drug possession and intent to sell in 1996 and weapons charges in 2020 and 2022, pleading guilty to the 2020 charges. Roberts’ lawyer, Brandon Brown, highlighted how charges don’t equate to convictions, as his 2020 deal was listed as a minor infraction for unlawfully carrying a loaded hunting rifle in a vehicle, which the district was aware of before his hiring.
Brown called the officials’ plan of reissuing information a “fear-mongering” campaign.
Roberts made headlines late September 2025 when he was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents under suspicion of being in the country illegally. After fleeing from a traffic stop, federal agents claimed the Guyana native entered the U.S. in 1999 on a student visa and was given a final order of removal by a judge in May of 2024.
After garnering national attention, students of the Iowa district have staged protests by walking out of their classrooms. Community members have raised questions to Roberts’ legal team, as several have described the district leader as a vibrant man who helped liven up schools and was thoroughly engaged with students and staff.
However, district leaders claim to be “a victim of deception” due to Roberts’ alleged lying throughout his tenure.
The timing of Roberts’ detainment comes at a time of unrest across the country, as ICE agents have been seen detaining suspected illegal immigrants under the direction of the Secretary of Homeland Security and MAGA loyalist Kristi Noem. His arrest marked an opening for state leaders like Iowa’s Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley to push legislation that would assist with background checks.
According to the Des Moines Register, Grassley is pushing for Des Moines Public Schools to implement an E-Verify system, aligning with a narrative from the Department of Homeland Security. In a statement, the agency states that if an E-Verify case using an “expired Employment Authorization Document (EAD)” were open, Roberts’ background check would have “resulted in a nonconfirmation.” The senator pointed the finger at the school district for letting the issue fly over their heads. “Every responsibility under the law has always been the responsibility of an employer to make sure that they don’t hire somebody illegally into the country,” Grassley said.
Under state law, Iowa doesn’t require employers to use E-Verify to determine if someone can legally work in the U.S. or not.
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