(MENAFN) US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has apprehended the superintendent of Iowa’s biggest school district, accusing him of being unlawfully present in the United States, lacking legal authorization to work, and having a previous conviction involving a weapon.

In a press release shared on Friday, authorities stated that Ian Andre Roberts—referred to as “a criminal illegal alien from Guyana”—was arrested during a planned operation, during which he allegedly attempted to evade federal agents.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that Roberts was already under a final deportation order that had been issued in May 2024.

Roberts, who began his tenure in 2023 as superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) with a yearly salary exceeding $300,000, was intercepted while operating a vehicle belonging to the school district.

According to officials, he tried to escape the scene, abandoned the vehicle near a forested location, and was eventually captured with assistance from the Iowa State Patrol.

He was then booked into the Woodbury County Jail.

“This suspect was arrested in possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle provided by Des Moines Public Schools after fleeing federal law enforcement,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson.

“How this illegal alien was hired without work authorization, a final order of removal, and a prior weapons charge is beyond comprehension and should alarm the parents of that school district.”

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