The former leader of the Iowa School District who was detained by immigration officials last week is now in federal custody under the Department of Justice.
Ian Roberts, who previously oversaw Des Moines Public Schools, was not located at the Woodbury County Jail, as explained by Sheriff Chad Sheehan. Instead, he was apprehended on an arrest warrant and made his initial court appearance following the federal capture. He is accused of illegally residing in the United States while also having a firearm.
Federal authorities noted that Roberts, 54, had four firearms in his possession on September 26th. For now, he remains in federal custody pending further legal action.
The Des Moines Public Education Board accepted Roberts’ resignation following his arrest; he had been taken into custody by ICE agents for allegedly lacking a valid license and work permit in the U.S.
Roberts’ attorney, Alfredo Parish, declined to comment further at this stage.
Law enforcement reported that the firearms were discovered both in his vehicle and at his home. Inquiries made by Fox News Digital to the DOJ were met with replies that no public information was available at the moment.
It was revealed that Roberts had been living and working unlawfully in the U.S. He was arrested last week after a brief police chase.
Roberts is currently contesting a deportation order from his home country of Guyana, with his lawyer stating that he believes his immigration situation has been previously resolved, based on advice from a former lawyer in Texas.
However, the DOJ’s criminal charges indicated that the legal counsel simply informed him that the case was still unresolved, and the office had closed.
Alongside his immigration battles, the Iowa Board of Directors revoked Roberts’ license to work as a supervisor. In a resignation letter submitted through his lawyer, Roberts expressed a desire not to distract officials and educators from their focus on education. Shortly after, the school board moved to accept his resignation.
It was also noted that a handgun was found in the vehicle Roberts allegedly used to evade ICE agents.
In a separate development, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division announced it would investigate whether the school district had discriminated by favoring minority applicants.
