School Superintendent is Arrested by ICE on Shocking Charges

The superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district is behind bars after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested him Friday in a dramatic takedown that has left parents stunned and officials scrambling.

Authorities say Ian Andre Roberts, 48, head of Des Moines Public Schools, fled federal agents during a traffic stop before abandoning his vehicle. A state patrol K-9 eventually tracked him down in the brush about 200 yards away.

Inside the school-owned SUV, ICE officers found a fixed-blade hunting knife, $3,000 in cash, and a loaded Glock 19 handgun.

“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 St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson. “How this illegal alien was hired without work authorization, a final order of removal, and a prior weapons charge is beyond comprehension and should alarm the parents of that school district.”

Roberts’ immigration issues stretch back decades. He first entered the U.S. legally in 1999 on a student visa to attend St. John’s University in Queens. But his authorization expired in 2020, and court records show he was ordered deported in 2024 after skipping immigration proceedings. A Dallas judge denied his appeal earlier this year.

In 2020, Roberts was arrested by Port Authority police in New York on weapons charges—cases that are still pending.

The arrest has sent shockwaves through Des Moines, where Roberts had been leading the 30,000-student district since July 2023.

“We have no confirmed information as to why Dr. Roberts is being detained or the next potential steps,” School Board Chair Jackie Norris said in a statement. She confirmed Associate Superintendent Matt Smith will serve as interim leader.

Roberts had been chosen after what the district described as a “comprehensive national search.” A press release at the time praised his experience in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and St. Louis, calling him a “dedicated advocate for equity.”

Born to Guyanese immigrants and raised in Brooklyn, Roberts once represented Guyana as a middle-distance runner in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. His résumé also included service on the board of The Directors Council, a coalition of nonprofits supporting Des Moines’ Black community.

In a statement Friday, the group defended Roberts: “Dr. Roberts has been a trusted partner, a dedicated advocate for equity, and an unwavering supporter of families and youth in Polk County. His contributions are immeasurable, and we stand with him during this uncertain moment.”

The case raises questions not just about Roberts’ immigration status but also about the vetting process that allowed him to lead an entire school district despite a prior weapons arrest and an active deportation order.

“How does someone with this background slip through the cracks?” asked one Des Moines parent outside district headquarters. “It’s terrifying to think he was making decisions about our kids while carrying a Glock.”

For now, Roberts remains in federal custody, and the community is left to wonder how a celebrated Olympic athlete and education leader turned into the center of one of Iowa’s biggest scandals in years.