DES MOINES, Iowa – Federal agents arrested the superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools on Friday after discovering he was an illegal alien from Guyana in possession of a loaded handgun, cash and a knife, officials announced.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said Ian Andre Roberts, who entered the U.S. in 1999 on a student visa, fled when officers attempted to arrest him during a targeted operation. His vehicle was later found abandoned in a wooded area before he was taken into custody with the help of the Iowa State Patrol.
Roberts was carrying a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash and a fixed-blade hunting knife, according to ICE. The firearm was reportedly inside a vehicle provided by the school district. Federal law prohibits individuals without legal status from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Court records show Roberts had prior weapons possession charges from February 2020. An immigration judge issued him a final order of removal in May 2024, yet he remained employed as superintendent despite lacking work authorization.
ICE officials said the case has been referred to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to investigate how Roberts obtained the weapon.
“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. He added that the hiring of Roberts despite his immigration status and prior criminal history should raise concerns within the school district.
Key Points
- ICE arrested Des Moines superintendent Ian Andre Roberts, a Guyana national, on Friday.
- Roberts fled officers but was later caught with a loaded handgun, cash and a knife.
- He had a prior weapons charge and a final removal order issued in 2024.
The nation’s capital of cornfields now faces questions over how its top educator slipped through the system.