Illegal alien and former Iowa school official Ian Roberts has a criminal history dating back decades, according to a release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday.

ICE arrested Roberts, a now-former school superintendent in Des Moines, Iowa, after he fled from agents who approached him on Sept. 26.

Roberts was in a school-issued vehicle when he sped off, but ICE later arrested him on foot in a nearby brushy area.

Investigators discovered a loaded pistol, a hunting knife, and $3,000 of cash in his abandoned car.

While early reports revealed that Roberts had some gun-related charges in the past, ICE announced in a recent news release that his criminal record was more severe than originally reported.

“Ian Andre Roberts, a criminal illegal alien with multiple weapons charges and a drug trafficking charge, should have never been able to work around children,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

Last month, ICE Des Moines arrested Ian Andre Roberts, a criminal illegal alien with four rejected green card applications and a 2024 final order of removal who was working as the superintendent of an Iowa school district. Since the arrest, media misinformation has grown.

On… pic.twitter.com/VFQiQ2mqDY

— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) October 3, 2025

ICE listed seven of Roberts’ arrests, criminal charges, and convictions dating back almost 30 years:

• 1996: Charges for criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell, criminal possession of narcotics, criminal possession of a forgery instrument, and possession of a forged instrument in New York.
• 1998: A charge for third-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle in Queens, New York, which was dismissed July 6, 1999.
• 2012: A conviction for reckless driving, unsafe operation, and speeding in Maryland.
• 2020: Charges for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon (having a loaded firearm outside his home or business); third-degree criminal possession of a weapon (an ammunition feeding device); and fourth-degree weapon charges. A document from Feb. 4, 2020, indicates that the second-degree criminal possession charge was inchoate.
• 2022: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania convicted Roberts of unlawful possession of a loaded firearm.
• Sept. 26: Roberts was arrested with a Glock 9mm pistol and a fixed-blade hunting knife in his possession. He also had $3,000 in cash.
• Oct. 2: Roberts criminally charged with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms.

ICE also listed Roberts’ spotty immigration history, which involves two visas, four Green Card applications that were all denied, and some travel dates.

In May 2024, an immigration judge in Texas ordered that Roberts be deported.

At that time, he was already working in the superintendent position in Iowa, where he had worked since 2023.

Today he remains in custody.

“This criminal illegal alien is now in U.S. Marshals custody and facing charges for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearms,” McLaughlin said in her statement. “Under Secretary Noem, ICE will continue to arrest the worst of the worst and put the safety of America’s children FIRST.”

In the meantime, however, Maryland lawmakers are concerned: Why is Roberts listed as an active voter?

???? BREAKING: The Department of Homeland Security just released the entire timeline of former Des Moines Superintendent Ian Roberts immigration and criminal history.

1990s

June 1, 1994: Entered U.S. at JFK Airport on B-2 visitor visa. Departed on unknown date but returned before… pic.twitter.com/weURm61p2v

— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) October 3, 2025

The State Board of Elections won’t comment on Roberts’ voting status, but Maryland Republican Del. Lauren Arikan claimed Roberts is currently on the voter roll, according to WJZ-TV in Baltimore.

“The Maryland Freedom Caucus looked him up in the system, and found that he had been an active voter for more than a decade, it looks like,” Arikan said.

Arikan pointed out the obvious reason why this should concern Americans.

“It exposed a flaw that we have felt like existed for a while in this system, and that is, not only can people who are here illegally very easily register to vote, but they also aren’t being removed,” she said.

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