Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent and Former Olympian Ian Roberts Arrested by ICE

Dr. Ian Roberts, a former Olympian and current superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS), was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Friday, Sept. 26, according to a statement from the agency.

ICE said Roberts was detained for allegedly residing in the U.S. illegally. The agency stated that he had been issued a “final order of removal by an immigration judge” in May 2024. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) referred to Roberts as a “criminal illegal alien.”

At the time of his arrest, Roberts, a native of Guyana, reportedly abandoned his car and fled from police, DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin told the Des Moines Register. Authorities also alleged that he had a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash, and a hunting knife in his possession.

The school district confirmed to Iowa Public Radio that its policy prohibits weapons “on school grounds or at a school-sponsored or school-related activity.”

Roberts also allegedly faces “existing weapon possession charges” from February 2020, according to DHS. Court records obtained by PEOPLE indicate that he was charged with one count of possessing a loaded firearm in a vehicle following a December 2021 incident in Erie, Pennsylvania, and he pled guilty in January 2022.

“Dr. Roberts has a previous firearm charge related to a hunting rifle, which he disclosed to the DMPS Board during the hiring process,” the district said regarding the 2021 charge.

“He provided sufficient context and explanation of the situation to move forward in the hiring process. He has also spoken publicly about this experience,” DMPS added, according to the Des Moines Register.

Roberts addressed the incident in a February 2022 social media post while serving as superintendent of Millcreek Township School District in Pennsylvania. He explained that a state game warden had issued him a citation during a hunting trip. Roberts stated he was a licensed gun owner and placed the gun in his car to make the officer feel safe.

The district also confirmed that Roberts underwent a third-party comprehensive background check. “In this case, Dr. Roberts completed the I-9 employment eligibility verification form and submitted the required documentation,” said Phil Roeder, DMPS director of communications and public affairs, to the Des Moines Register. The district said it was unaware of Roberts’ order of removal.

Following the arrest, DMPS announced that Matt Smith would serve as interim superintendent.

“We, too, are devastated by news of his detainment,” Smith said. “In the words of Dr. Roberts, ‘If you paddle together, you will survive the tide. If you paddle alone, you will likely drown. As we learn more, we chose to paddle together.'”

Jackie Norris, DMPS board president, added, “What we do know is that Dr. Roberts has been an integral part of our school community since he joined over two years ago.”

Des Moines city officials, including the police department, were not given advance notice of the detainment, Mayor Connie Boesen said.

Born in Guyana and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Roberts came to the U.S. on a student visa in 1999, according to DMPS. He earned a B.S. from Coppin State University, two master’s degrees from St. John’s University and Georgetown University, and a doctorate in Urban Educational Leadership from Trident University.

Roberts has decades of experience in education, serving as a classroom teacher, school administrator, and executive leader. He has authored several books on education. Before joining DMPS in July 2023, he led Millcreek Township School District and the St. Louis Public Schools (MO) High School Network and held positions in Baltimore, the South Bronx, and Washington, D.C. He was also named George Washington University’s 2013 Washington D.C. Principal of the Year.

In addition to his educational career, Roberts competed as a mid-distance runner for Guyana in track and field at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.