Former Iowa School District Leader in Federal Custody
The former superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, Ian Roberts, was taken into custody by immigration officials last week and is now in the hands of the Department of Justice.
According to Sheriff Chad Sheehan, Roberts was not associated with the Woodbury County Jail in Sioux City, located about 150 miles northwest of Des Moines.
Roberts, 54, faced charges related to illegally entering the United States while in possession of firearms. He appeared in court following his arrest under a warrant issued by federal authorities.
On September 26, federal prosecutors indicated that Roberts was found with four firearms. He is currently awaiting further legal proceedings while in federal custody.
His attorney, Alfredo Parish, stated that there are no comments available at this time.
Authorities discovered the weapons both in Roberts’ vehicle and at his home.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa mentioned they do not have any public information to share at the moment, following inquiries from Fox News Digital.
Roberts had resigned from his position earlier in the week, having lived and worked in the U.S. illegally. His arrest came after a brief police pursuit, authorities reported.
He is contesting a deportation order from Guyana, his home country. Earlier this week, Parish claimed that Roberts thought his immigration issues had been “successfully resolved” based on previous legal advice.
However, the DOJ has noted that the case remains unresolved and that Roberts’ legal representatives have not made further progress.
In addition to the legal challenges, the Iowa Board of Directors also revoked Roberts’ license to operate as a school supervisor. In his resignation letter, he expressed a desire not to distract the district’s leadership and educators from their focus on education.
Shortly after, the school board finalized his resignation.
On another note, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced intent to investigate allegations of racism concerning the district’s support for minority applicants.
