DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Ian Roberts, the superintendent of Iowa's largest school district, was charged on Thursday in federal court for possessing firearms while in the U.S. illegally. This legal trouble follows his detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents last week.
Roberts, who resigned from his position just days after the incident, was found with a handgun wrapped in a towel inside his Jeep Cherokee upon arrest. He is a Guyanese national who had previously been authorized to work in the U.S. only until 2020, after which he lacked lawful employment status.
According to court documents, authorities have charged Roberts with possessing four firearms. His attorney, Alfredo Parrish, stated Roberts plans to plead not guilty, emphasizing his presumption of innocence and noting that no indictment has been returned by the grand jury.
After his arrest, Roberts was held in Sioux City, Iowa, about 150 miles northwest of Des Moines, and appeared before a federal magistrate via video. Federal authorities pointed out that Roberts had a final removal order issued last year, which an immigration judge had denied reopening earlier this year.
Roberts believed his immigration case had been resolved favorably, as indicated in correspondence from a prior attorney. The attorney confirmed to federal officials that the communication regarding the 'successful resolution' was not intended to signal the completion of his case in court.
At the time of the arrest, one firearm was recovered from Roberts' school-owned vehicle, while additional firearms, which included a pistol, a rifle, and a shotgun, were found during the search of his residence. All of these firearms were reportedly loaded.
