Ian Roberts was arrested by immigration authorities a week ago and resigned his position.
Millcreek School District in Erie, Pennsylvania released a statement saying they were “profoundly disappointed” in Ian Roberts, 54, the district’s former superintendent. Roberts was arrested a week ago by immigration authorities after it was revealed he entered and remained in the country illegally, and misled his current and former employers about his qualifications and immigration status. In addition to not being a U.S. citizen as he claimed, Roberts also allegedly did not have the teaching credentials that his resume boasted.
In the statement released on Wednesday, the school district said: “We specifically are most disappointed to learn about his lack of citizenship and educational credentialing, as Roberts represented to the District that he was a U.S. citizen and that he had earned a Doctorate in Education. Additionally, although the District received clearances regarding Roberts (including the completed FBI criminal history report) before his first date of employment, there was no indication of any criminal history which the District could lawfully consider as part of the hiring process.” The district went on to say it had contacted local authorities to provide the false paperwork from Roberts during his hiring.
Roberts, who left Millcreek to become superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools in Iowa, was a native of Guyana. ICE considered Roberts an immigration fugitive due to an outstanding final removal order in 2024. Authorities initially held Roberts in Woodbury County jail near Des Moines but was released into the custody of authorities at Polk County jail. The DOJ revealed that in addition to his immigration violations, Roberts is facing firearm charges as well after authorities found a loaded handgun that he did not have a permit to own. In total, Roberts had four fully loaded firearms on his property. Police and ICE agents apprehended Roberts on September 26 after a brief chase.
A spokesperson for Millcreek said the district is considering charges against Roberts, and contacted authorities to determine whether there was any course of action. The school district Roberts defrauded his employers by failing to produce valid work permits and lying about his credentials as a licensed educator. The spokesperson said the Millcreek board planned a final vote to determine whether to sue Roberts. The district’s decision comes after Des Moines Public Schools confirmed it would sue Roberts, and that he would face those charges in addition to his federal deportation order and firearm charges. The district also confirmed it would sue the search firm that allegedly failed to properly vet Roberts as a candidate.
At the time of his hiring in 2023, Des Moines lauded Roberts for being the first person of color to lead the district, where his employer reportedly held him in high regard for r his ability to interact with students. The federal government did not release a statement regarding the new suits facing Roberts as of Wednesday.
