DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) – Former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts has pleaded not guilty to federal immigration charges, KCCI reports. Court documents show Roberts was charged with making a false statement for employment and illegal immigrant in possession of a firearm. A grand jury says Roberts lied on his I-9 submitted as part of his hiring process for Des Moines Public Schools in 2023. The jury says Roberts said he was a U.S. citizen “knowing he was not in fact a United States citizen.”

Federal authorities moved Roberts from the Woodbury County Jail to a federal facility in Council Bluffs. There is a hearing for Roberts set for Wednesday, where the court could set a date for his trial.

If found guilty, Roberts could be fined, imprisoned for up to 15 years, or both.