DES MOINES, Iowa (RTW News) — Ian Roberts, the former superintendent of Iowa's largest school district, has been charged with federal firearms offenses following his recent arrest by immigration officials. Roberts resigned from his position at Des Moines schools just days before the charges were brought against him.
During his detainment by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, law enforcement discovered a handgun wrapped in a towel inside his vehicle, as stated in court documents. Following his arrest, Roberts was found in possession of four firearms, raising significant legal concerns about his immigration status.
Originally from Guyana, Roberts, 54, had reportedly been in the U.S. without lawful employment authorization since 2020. He had a removal order dated last year, with recent attempts to reopen his immigration case denied by an immigration judge.
Roberts' attorney, Alfredo Parrish, has expressed intentions for his client to plead not guilty, emphasizing that there has been no indictment to date. Parrish maintains that Robert's presumed innocence will be upheld throughout the legal process.
Throughout this incident, Roberts was under the impression, as conveyed by a previous attorney, that his immigration matters had been properly resolved. However, ambiguities over the closing of his immigration case have surfaced as a point of contention.
Federal agents not only found a pistol believed to belong to Roberts’ wife under the driver's seat of his school-issued vehicle but also recovered three additional firearms—one pistol, a shotgun, and a rifle—during a subsequent search of his residence. Reports indicate that these firearms were reportedly loaded.
