The superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools was arrested after federal agents discovered he was in the country illegally with a deportation order — and in possession of a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash and a hunting knife, authorities said.
Ian Andre Roberts, originally from Guyana, was taken into custody on Friday during a targeted enforcement operation, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Des Moines.
“ICE Des Moines today arrested Ian Andre Roberts, a criminal illegal alien from Guyana in possession of a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash and a fixed blade hunting knife,” the agency said.
“At the time of his arrest Roberts was working as the Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools despite being an illegal alien with a final order of removal and no work authorization.”
Agents said Roberts sped off in his vehicle after being approached by officers. His car was later discovered abandoned near a wooded area.
The Iowa State Patrol assisted in locating him, and he was taken into ICE custody.
Roberts has a prior criminal record in the US. He was charged with weapons possession on Feb. 5, 2020.
He entered the US in 1999 on a student visa and was given a final order of removal by an immigration judge in May 2024, according to officials.
The case of Roberts’ firearm has been referred to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is a violation of federal law for anyone in the US without legal status to possess a firearm or ammunition.
“This suspect was arrested in possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle provided by Des Moines Public Schools after fleeing federal law enforcement,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson.
“This should be a wake-up call for our communities to the great work that our officers are doing every day to remove public safety threats.”
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“How this illegal alien was hired without work authorization, a final order of removal, and a prior weapons charge is beyond comprehension and should alarm the parents of that school district,” Olson added.
Jackie Norris, the president of the Des Moines school board, posted a message on Facebook saying that an associate superintendent, Matt Smith, would head the school system on an interim basis.
“We have no confirmed information as to why Dr. Roberts is being detained or the next potential steps,” Norris wrote.
On his LinkedIn page, Roberts describes himself as a former All-American and Olympic track and field athlete who transitioned into education.
He began his career as a teacher in New York and Maryland, twice earning Teacher of the Year honors in Baltimore City.
Roberts went on to serve as a principal and school turnaround leader in Washington, DC, Baltimore, and St. Louis, as well as a senior executive with several charter school networks.
Roberts wrote on LinkedIn that his mission is to help schools and districts move from “good enough to exceptional” by focusing on cultural responsiveness, vision alignment and turnaround strategies.
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