DES MOINES, Iowa — The superintendent of Iowa’s largest college district, who was detained final week by immigration brokers, was charged Thursday in federal court docket with possessing firearms whereas within the U.S. illegally, prosecutors stated.

Ian Roberts resigned this week as Des Moines’ superintendent of colleges, simply days after he was pulled over and fled from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers, who in the end arrested him with the assistance of officers from the Iowa State Patrol. When he was arrested, federal brokers discovered a handgun that was wrapped in a towel contained in the Jeep Cherokee he was driving, in line with court docket papers.

Roberts, who’s initially from Guyana, had been jailed in Sioux Metropolis, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines, since late Friday afternoon. Officers stated he was taken into custody on a federal arrest warrant for the weapons cost and appeared by video earlier than a federal Justice of the Peace decide.

Roberts’ lawyer, Alfredo Parrish, stated his consumer will plead not responsible.

“Our place right now — he has a presumption of innocence,” Parrish stated. “He’ll train his proper to point to the court docket, if he’s indicted, that he’s not responsible,” Parrish stated, including that there has not been an indictment returned by the grand jury.

Roberts, 54, is alleged to have been in possession of 4 firearms, in line with court docket paperwork. Authorities stated Roberts had been approved to work within the U.S. between December 2018 and 2020 however has since “not had lawful employment authorization,” in line with the criticism.

Federal authorities stated Roberts had a remaining removing order that was issued final yr, and an immigration decide denied a movement to reopen Roberts’ immigration case in April this yr. The criticism launched Tuesday alleged that Roberts had that remaining removing order in a special automobile at his residence.

Roberts had been below the impression from a previous lawyer that his immigration case was “resolved efficiently,” his lawyer has stated.

“It has been my pleasure to signify you all through this course of, and I’m happy to report that your case has reached a profitable decision,” Texas lawyer Jackeline Gonzalez wrote on March 27.

An aide to Gonzalez confirmed to The Related Press Tuesday that the legislation agency had represented Roberts however gave no quick remark.

Gonzalez spoke earlier this week to federal officers and stated the letter she despatched had knowledgeable Roberts “that the immigration case with Gonzalez’s workplace was being closed,” in line with court docket papers. Roberts had an unpaid authorized invoice together with her workplace.

“Gonzalez added that the letter was not supposed to convey” that his case with the court docket had been accomplished, the court docket paperwork stated.

Gonzalez declined to inform authorities, nevertheless, about her communication with Roberts in regards to the immigration decide’s denial of the movement to reopen his case, which was despatched to her workplace.

One firearm, the one discovered below the driving force’s seat of his school-issued car when he was arrested, was a pistol believed to have been bought by Roberts’ spouse, authorities stated. The opposite three — a pistol, a rifle and a shotgun — had been discovered throughout a search of Roberts’ dwelling, the criticism stated, and all had been allegedly loaded.