Crime
Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools Ian Andre Roberts Arrested by ICE
A senior official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed that Dr. Ian Andre Roberts, Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, was arrested on Thursday, September 26, 2025, during a targeted enforcement operation.
ICE identified Dr. Roberts as a citizen of Guyana who has been living in the United States without legal status and has been subject to a final deportation order since May 2024.
According to ICE, agents approached Dr. Roberts while he was inside his vehicle.
Upon identifying themselves as immigration officers, Roberts allegedly fled the scene at high speed before abandoning his car nearby.
He was located approximately 200 yards away in a brush-covered area with the assistance of an Iowa State Patrol K9 unit.
During a search of the abandoned vehicle, ICE agents reported recovering a loaded handgun, a fixed-blade hunting knife, and approximately $3,000 in cash.
The vehicle, according to officials, was one provided to Roberts in his role as superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools.
ICE records show that Roberts first entered the United States in 1999 on an F-1 student visa to attend St. Johnโs University in New York. On May 22, 2024, he was ordered removed from the country in absentia.
A subsequent motion to reopen his immigration case was denied by an immigration judge in Dallas, Texas, on April 24, 2025.
Roberts also has a prior weapons-related arrest dating back to February 5, 2020, though the current status of that case remains unclear.
The investigation into how Roberts obtained the firearm has been referred to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), as federal law prohibits individuals without lawful immigration status from possessing firearms or ammunition.
ICE ERO St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson issued a statement following the arrest:
โThis suspect was arrested in possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle provided by Des Moines Public Schools after fleeing federal law enforcement. This should be a wake-up call for our communities to the great work that our officers are doing every day to remove public safety threats. 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.โ
ICE expressed gratitude to the Iowa State Patrol for their assistance in the operation.
Roberts remains in ICE custody as the investigation continues.
MT. JULIET, Tenn. โ Authorities have identified two victims killed during an active shooter incident at Cedar Creek Marina in Mt. Juliet late Friday night.
The suspect, identified as Gary Haley, a convicted felon with an extensive criminal history, is deceased following an officer-involved shooting, officials confirmed.
Mount Juliet Police officers were dispatched at approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday to the Cedar Creek Marina, located in the 9000 block of Saundersville Road, after receiving reports of a man threatening another individual on the docks.
Due to the active shooter report, a shelter-in-place order was issued for the surrounding area as a precaution.
Upon arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound.
The victim was later identified as Robby Brogdon, who was transported to a local hospital for emergency medical treatment.
Despite life-saving efforts, Brogdon later succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators determined that the suspected shooter had retreated to a boat within the marina and had barricaded himself inside.
The standoff continued for several hours as officers secured the scene and attempted to resolve the situation safely.
At approximately 1:00 a.m. Saturday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) reported that the suspect engaged responding officers and fired shots at them under circumstances that remain under investigation. Officers returned fire.
The suspect, Gary Haley, was later found deceased aboard the vessel.
During the course of the response, officers also discovered a second adult male victim, Nathan Jones, who had been shot by the suspect.
Jones was pronounced dead at the scene.
No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has assumed responsibility for the investigation, which includes a homicide, an attempted homicide, and an officer-involved shooting.
TBI agents are actively conducting interviews, collecting evidence, and working to establish a comprehensive timeline of events.
Upon completion of the investigation, findings will be submitted to 15th Judicial District Attorney General Jason Lawson for review.
Authorities stated that additional information will be released as it becomes available.