WASHINGTON – A former St. Louis school worker who most recently served as the superintendent of Des Moines, Iowa’s largest school district was arrested by federal immigration agents last week and now faces a federal gun charge.
Officials with United States Immigrations Customs Enforcement (ICE) report that Ian Andre Roberts was arrested on Sept. 26. Roberts has since resigned from his role as Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent, according to the Associated Press.
Roberts previously worked with St. Louis Public Schools as a network superintendent from 2015 to 2018, also according to AP.
He faces a federal charge of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.
The complaint alleges, at the time of his arrest, Roberts was in possession of four firearms, including one in his car and three at his home in Des Moines. Officials say a loaded handgun, a hunting knife and $3,000 cash were found in his vehicle.
The complaint also cites a 2024 removal order signed by an immigration judge, as well as a motion to reopen his immigration case in April 2025 that was denied.
A news release Friday from ICE notes that Roberts had prior convictions for traffic and weapons offenses, along with a history of criminal charges dating back to 1996.
Roberts, who is Guyanese citizen according to the complaint, arrived to the United States on two visas, the last which expired in 2004, according to ICE. The complaint alleges that Roberts applied three times for permanent residence – May 2001, May 2018 and June 2018 – but was rejected by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services each time.
Roberts is now in U.S. Marshals custody, according to ICE.
According to AP, Roberts’ attorney, Alfredo Parrish, has said Roberts was under the impression from a prior attorney his immigration case was “resolved successfully” and that his law firm filed a request to stay Roberts’ deportation with an immigration court
FOX 2 has reached out to the Parrish Kruidenier Law Firm for comment, but has not received a response as of this story’s initial publication.
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