ICE agents stopped Ian Andre Roberts while he was driving a school-issued vehicle, and the agency said he then fled into a wooded area before being apprehended with help from Iowa State Patrol officers. Photo: Stabroek News

On Tuesday Dr Roberts sent his resignation letter through his attorney to the Des Moines School Board.

The resignation letter seen by this newspaper stated, “Out the concern of his 30,000 students, Dr. Roberts does not want to distract the board, educators, and staff from focusing on educating DMPS’s students.

Roberts’ attorney, Alfredo Parrish, confirmed that his legal team has filed a motion to stay the current proceedings in Omaha and is actively preparing a motion to reopen the case. “We filed a motion to stay. Today, we’re in the process of filing a motion to reopen the case. We just got this case Friday afternoon and have been working diligently and trying to keep the public informed as much as possible.”

Responding to speculation regarding potential interference in the case, Parrish unequivocally stated that there has been no indication of involvement by the government. “One thing I would tell you at this point, have we seen the President’s fingerprints on this case? I’m pretty straightforward. At this point, we have not.”

He also stated important information regarding the superintendent’s prior legal representation disclosing that Dr Roberts had been previously represented by an attorney based in Texas. Parrish shared that during the press conference, he would present a letter received from this prior attorney, which indicated that Roberts’ immigration case had been successfully closed. This letter contributed to Roberts’ belief that his immigration status was secure at the time.

Parrish acknowledged that certain questions could not be answered due to the intricate nature of the situation and the numerous entities involved. He noted ongoing communications with various parties, including the Guyanese consulate in New York, as they work to resolve the matter. Parrish also referenced reported plans for a student walkout and an upcoming demonstration on October 1, stressing the importance of accurate information. He urged the community and concerned individuals to exercise patience and avoid jumping to conclusions, emphasising a measured approach to the evolving circumstances.

In relation to the loaded weapon in the vehicle, the attorney informed the press that he could not respond to certain aspects of the case because some details were known to him only through his client. However, Parrish revealed that Dr Roberts had served in the military in Guyana.

Stabroek News contacted retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Slowe who confirmed that Roberts completed the standard military officers’ course and served as a cadet officer in the Guyana Police Force in the early mid-90s. He had undergone the military officers’ course which was at the time facilitated by the Guyana Defence Force but served as a policeman. Slowe recalled that Roberts was a disciplined man in the force.

“He was very well-liked and very disciplined… I remember him because I used to be part of the athletics team, too. So, and I used to be around the athletics team, so I knew him…”

When asked by media personnel about the search warrant, Parrish responded that they were told what is on a copy of documents that were left by the ATF [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives]. According to Parrish the case was closed in April 2025.

ICE said agents arrested Roberts on Friday last because he was in the country illegally, did not have authorisation to work, and was subject to a final removal order issued in 2024. ICE agents stopped Roberts while he was driving a school-issued vehicle, and the agency said he then fled into a wooded area before being apprehended with help from Iowa State Patrol officers.

He’s being held in the Woodbury County Jail in Sioux City, about 150 miles from Des Moines, even as the Des Moines Public School Board voted unanimously last Saturday to place him on paid administrative leave. He was first licensed with the state in July 2023.

ICE’s statement alleged that Roberts was in possession of a loaded handgun, US$3,000 in cash and a fixed blade hunting knife at the time of his arrest. The agency also stated that Roberts had existing weapon possession charges from February 5, 2020, and that the investigation into how he acquired the handgun was being turned over to ATF.

According to the Des Moines School Board website, Roberts earned his bachelor’s from Coppin State University, master’s degrees from St John’s University and Georgetown University, and received his doctorate in urban educational leadership from Trident University. He also has several education certificates, including one from Harvard University, his biography said. It added that he competed in track and field at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, and in the World Championships in Maebashi, Japan and Seville, Spain. The IOC website lists him as a Guyanese athlete who was born in 1970.