Long rap sheet and gun stash of $305k-a-year illegal migrant Iowa school superintendent arrested by ICE revealed
By Kelly Garino
Daily Mail
Oct 4, 2025
Ian Roberts (pictured), the 54-year-old Iowa superintendent arrested by ICE for being in the country illegally, was found to have an extensive criminal history and immigration record in the US
An Iowa superintendent arrested by ICE for being in the country illegally has extensive criminal history in the US, including several hidden guns, narcotics sales and fraudulent documents.
Ian Roberts, 54, the former Des Moines Public Schools superintendent, was taken into custody by ICE last month on a fugitive warrant after authorities identified him as an 'illegal alien from Guyana' with pending weapons charges.
The following day, the district board unanimously placed Roberts on paid leave, noting that his detainment made him unable to fulfill his responsibilities for the 30,000-student district.
On Friday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released new details about Roberts, exposing an extensive criminal and immigration record in the US.
'He should never have been serving in a role overseeing children in Iowa's largest school district,' the agency said in a statement.
ICE agents monitored Roberts’ home on September 26 as they were aware that he was illegally in the US and had been under an active deportation order since May 2024.
According to a criminal complaint filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ), a search of Roberts’ Jeep Cherokee revealed a firearm hidden under the driver’s seat, wrapped in a towel.
Authorities identified the weapon as a Glock 9mm pistol, which was chambered and fully loaded. They also discovered a fixed-blade hunting knife and $3,000 in cash.
The former Des Moines Public Schools superintendent was taken into custody by ICE last month on a fugitive warrant after authorities identified him as an 'illegal alien from Guyana' with pending weapons charges
ICE agents then executed a federal search warrant at Roberts’ home and uncovered three more hidden guns scattered around the property.
One firearm found beneath a living room seat cushion was a loaded and chambered 9mm pistol, another was a loaded rifle stored in the master bedroom closet, and the last was a shotgun discovered behind the bed’s headboard.
Multiple firearm magazines, assorted ammunition, and a book titled 'Concealed Carry and Home Defense' were also discovered inside, according to the DOJ.
DHS reported that Roberts’ criminal history includes a dismissed 1988 charge for unauthorized vehicle use in New York and 2012 charges in Maryland for reckless driving, unsafe operation and speeding.
Records also showed that in 1996, he was charged in New York with criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell, criminal possession of narcotics, and possession of a forged instrument.
According to the agency, Roberts was convicted in 2022 of unlawful firearm possession in Pennsylvania and had faced multiple weapon-related charges in 2020, including second, third, and fourth-degree criminal possession.
The criminal complaint revealed that Roberts has a sealed restraining order from Missouri in 2023 as well, though the reasons behind it have not been disclosed.
Authorities also found that he was illegally registered to vote as a Democrat in Maryland, adding to worries about the integrity of the state’s voter registration system.
Three more guns were found inside Roberts' home. One was a loaded and chambered 9mm pistol found beneath a living room seat cushion (pictured), another was a loaded rifle stored in the master bedroom closet, and the last was a shotgun found behind the bed’s headboard
In 1996, Roberts was charged in New York with criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell, criminal possession of narcotics, and possession of a forged instrument
His arrest has sparked fierce protest among his supporters who accused ICE of racism
'Ian Andre Roberts, a criminal illegal alien with multiple weapons charges and drug trafficking charges, should have never been able to work around children,' DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.
'Under Secretary Noem, ICE will continue to arrest the worst of the worst and put the safety of America’s children FIRST,' she added.
Roberts, who last entered the US on a student visa in 1999, has a long and complicated immigration history, with two visas, four denied Green Card applications and several entries into the country, according to DHS.
He reportedly first arrived in the country in 1994 as a 'visitor for pleasure,' leaving at an unknown time before returning prior to his 1996 drug charges.
Roberts’ LinkedIn page also lists several schools and degrees, including attendance at Morgan State University from 2003 to 2007.
The university confirmed Roberts attended but noted he 'did not receive a degree,' and there was no record of him in the MIT Executive MBA program, despite his claim of being an incoming candidate, according to Fox News.
Even with Roberts' charges and status, he has occupied multiple top positions in public education across Baltimore, Washington, DC, St. Louis, California, Pennsylvania and Iowa.
During his tenure as superintendent of Millcreek Township School District from 2020 to 2023, three gender discrimination lawsuits were filed against the district.
The criminal complaint revealed that Roberts pictured) has a sealed restraining order from Missouri in 2023 as well, though the reasons behind it have not been disclosed
Roberts, who last entered the US on a student visa in 1999, has a long and complicated immigration history, with two visas, four denied Green Card applications and several entries into the country (pictured: protest)
One male employee claiming that Roberts showed a preference for women in top roles.
The district has shelled out hundreds of thousands of dollars to settle these lawsuits.
Roberts tried to flee in a school-issued car when agents attempted to stop him, speeding into a wooded area and abandoning the vehicle. Iowa State Patrol later discovered him hiding in brush just south of where the car was found.
He was held in the Woodbury County Jail in Sioux City, in northwest Iowa, about 150 miles from Des Moines.
After his arrest, Roberts resigned from his latest superintendent position - a job he’d held since 2023 - where he raked in a staggering $305,000 salary.
The controversy has spurred Republicans in the state legislature to open an investigation into Roberts’ hiring process.
His arrest also sparked protests, with more than 200 Des Moines residents rallying downtown.
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