FOX 21 News, KQDS-DT

ELY - Ely's a town of just a few thousand people, but even in a community of that size, not many knew Donald Ingerson.

"Quiet, low key, but I can understand why," said Kelly Ann Richards, trying to describe what little she knew about the man.

The 67–year old Ingerson was a school teacher in the St. Louis metropolitan area from the late 1960's until the mid-1990's.

"What we think right now is he retired sometime in the late 90's and that's when he moved to Ely, Minnesota," said Bob McCulloch, prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County, Missouri.

Ingerson was arrested Monday on one count of rape and one count of second degree statutory sodomy from his time as a teacher in Missouri.

And it was he who turned himself in to authorities, believing he could no longer be charged because he thought the statute of limitations had passed.

"He called my office about a month ago, at the beginning of June and I put him in touch with one of my investigators and he told him what had occurred," said McCulloch.

The first instance happened between September of 1974 and January of 1976, while the second occurred between January of 1996 and November of 1997.

McCulloch said, "There were two different schools and both of the young ladies were students of his, both under the age of 16 and one actually under the age of 15."

The news of Ingerson's arrest has parents in Ely wanting to know more about the mystery man.

"I don't believe anybody would just do that once. There's probably somebody out there. It's a shame but I’m sure there is," said Richards.

Two victims have been identified so far, but St. Louis County, Missouri officials warn there could be more.

"We assume that this wasn't two isolated occurrences 20 years apart. So we've notified the school districts involved and all the police departments that work in those school districts," added McCulloch.

Ingerson is being held on a $300,000 cash only bond.

McCulloch expects the case to be presented to a grand jury in the not too distant future.