THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAS DETAINED IN AN ICE RAID FRIDAY MORNING.
A STATEMENT FROM ICE SAYS WHEN DR. IAN ROBERTS WAS ARRESTED, HE WAS IN POSSESSION OF A LOADED HANDGUN, $3000 IN CASH AND A FIXED BLADE HUNTING KNIFE.
THEY SAY ROBERTS IS A CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIEN FROM GUYANA, AND WAS WORKING AS DES MOINES SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT DESPITE HAVING A FINAL ORDER OF REMOVAL AND NO WORK AUTHORIZATION.
ICE SAYS OFFICERS APPROACHED ROBERTS FRIDAY IN A TARGETED OPERATION, AND WHEN THEY APPROACHED HIS VEHICLE, HE SPED AWAY, LATER ABANDONING THE VEHICLE IN A WOODED AREA.
THE IOWA STATE PATROL ASSISTED IN FINDING AND APPREHENDING HIM.
ROBERTS HAD AN OUTSTANDING WEAPONS POSSESSION CHARGE FROM FEBRUARY OF 2020.
HE ENTERED THE U.S. ON A STUDENT VISA IN 1999 AND WAS GIVEN A FINAL ORDER OF REMOVAL BY AN IMMIGRATION JUDGE IN MAY OF 2024.
ICE FIELD DIRECTOR SAM OLSON SAYS “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 THE SCHOOL DISTRICT”.
HOW ROBERTS OBTAINED THE HANDGUN IS BEING INVESTIGATION BY FEDERAL ALCOHOL, FIREARMS AND TOBACCO OFFICIALS.
A LISTING OF PEOPLE DETAINED BY ICE SHOWS ROBERTS IS BEING HELD IN THE POTTAWATAMIE COUNTY JAIL.
THE LISTING GIVES GUYANA AS HIS COUNTRY OF BIRTH.
A SCHOOL DISTRICT BIOGRAPHY SAYS ROBERTS WAS BORN TO IMMIGRANT PARENTS FROM GUYANA AND GREW UP IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.
HE BECAME HEAD OF DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN 2023.
ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT MATT SMITH HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO THE ROLE OF INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT IN THE MEANTIME.
