Des Moines School Superintendent Charged with Illegal Firearm Possession

Mon Oct 20 2025 22:33:21 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Ian Roberts, the superintendent of Iowa's largest school district, was charged in federal court for possessing firearms while illegally present in the U.S. after his detainment by immigration authorities.

Ian Roberts, who resigned as the superintendent of Des Moines schools after being arrested by immigration agents, faces federal charges for possessing firearms without legal status in the U.S. His attorney has indicated that Roberts will plead not guilty. Previously authorized to work until 2020, Roberts was found in possession of four firearms, including one located in his school vehicle. The case highlights ongoing immigration issues in America.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district, Ian Roberts, was charged in federal court after being detained by immigration agents last week for possessing firearms while in the country illegally, prosecutors reported.

Roberts resigned as superintendent of schools shortly after being pulled over by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, fleeing the scene before being arrested with assistance from the Iowa State Patrol. Upon his arrest, a handgun wrapped in a towel was discovered in the Jeep Cherokee he was driving.

Originally from Guyana, Roberts, 54, has been incarcerated since late Friday afternoon in Sioux City, where he faced charges stemming from a federal arrest warrant. He appeared via video in front of a federal magistrate judge. Roberts’ attorney, Alfredo Parrish, confirmed his client's intention to plead not guilty, stressing the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

The complaint indicates that Roberts possessed a total of four firearms. Although he was authorized to work in the U.S. from December 2018 to 2020, he has not held any lawful employment authorization since. Federal authorities disclosed that Roberts had a final removal order issued last year, which an immigration judge declined to reopen in April.

During the arrest, a firearm was located under the driver’s seat of his school-issued vehicle, and three others, believed to be loaded, were found at his residence during a subsequent search. One of the firearms was reportedly purchased by Roberts’ wife.

Additionally, Roberts was mistakenly led to believe by a previous attorney that his immigration case was resolved favorably, according to his current legal representation. Documentation revealed that while the prior attorney indicated that the case had reached a resolution, federal records contradicted this claim.