Federal prosecutors have charged Ian Roberts, the recently resigned superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district, with unlawfully possessing firearms while living in the United States without legal status.
Roberts, 54, stepped down from his role leading Des Moines Public Schools earlier this week, only days after fleeing from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during a traffic stop. He was later captured with the help of the Iowa State Patrol. Court filings state that during his arrest, officers discovered a handgun wrapped in a towel inside the Jeep Cherokee he was driving.
Originally from Guyana, Roberts has been held in Sioux City since late Friday. He appeared virtually before a federal magistrate judge after being taken into custody on a weapons-related warrant. Prosecutors allege he had four firearms in total, a pistol under the seat of his district-issued vehicle, a pistol, rifle and shotgun found at his home. All were reportedly loaded, with one firearm believed to have been purchased by his wife.
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Roberts’ lawyer, Alfredo Parrish, maintained that his client will fight the charges. “Our position at this time — he has a presumption of innocence,” Parrish said, according to AP. “He will exercise his right to indicate to the court, if he is indicted, that he’s not guilty.” He also noted that no grand jury indictment has yet been issued.
Court documents show Roberts’ authorization to work in the U.S. expired in 2020 and that he has been without legal status since then. A final deportation order was issued against him last year, and in April a judge denied his request to reopen the case.
Roberts has said he believed his immigration issues had been resolved. That impression came from a letter dated March 27 from his former attorney, Jackeline Gonzalez, which read, “It has been my pleasure to represent you throughout this process, and I am pleased to report that your case has reached a successful resolution.”
Gonzalez later clarified to federal officials that her correspondence referred only to the closure of her law firm’s involvement, not to any court ruling. The court filings added that Roberts owed her office legal fees and that she had not passed along the immigration judge’s decision to reject reopening his case.
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Authorities allege Roberts even had paperwork confirming his removal order in another vehicle at his residence. The charges now add a criminal layer to what had already been a turbulent immigration battle for the once-prominent school leader.
