U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Ian Roberts, the former superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, on suspicion of illegally entering the country and not having the proper work permit.
Details surfaced in the days after his arrest that Roberts had listed degrees from unverifiable universities on his resume, including MIT, Harvard, Georgetown, and Morgan State. Homeland Security officials also claim that he has a criminal background that includes convictions for drugs in several states and charges related to weapons.
Roberts apparently eluded authorities at the time of his capture, leaving his car in a wooded location. Near the site, federal agents reported finding a hunting knife, a loaded revolver, and around $3,000 in cash. He continued to hold one of Iowa’s most important educational positions despite being under a final deportation order that was issued in May 2024.
His superintendent’s license was revoked by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners when his past was made public, and the school board accepted his resignation. A consulting business that screened Roberts has been sued by Des Moines Public Schools, which claims the firm failed to see warning signs throughout the recruiting process.
Roberts, a Guyana native who entered the US on a student visa in 1999, had been in charge of the district since the middle of 2023, managing approximately 30,000 pupils. Parents, teachers, and community leaders are furious about his arrest and the disclosures that followed, demanding to know how such false statements were overlooked during a public school hiring process.
Rodriguez may be charged with illegal firearm ownership and immigration law offenses in this instance, which is currently under federal investigation.