A former St. Louis teacher is behind bars and currently facing charges of rape and statutory sodomy according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The man, Donald Ingerson, 67, was arrested and charged earlier this week in St. Louis County for the crimes. He's still in jail on a $300,00 cash-only bond.
In a bizarre turn of events, St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch said that Ingerson himself contacted his office several months ago with information about his prior sexual assaults of two former female students. McCulloch said this is the first time a criminal in a sexual assault case has ever come forward to his office. The incidents did not occur recently and were unrelated given that they were separated by almost 20 years. Even more bizarrely, Ingerson only made the confession because he incorrectly believed the statute of limitations had run out on both cases. McCulloch said Ingerson had no idea he would ever be charged and even scheduled meetings with investigators given his belief he was untouchable. This case should serve as a shining example of the need for an experienced attorney with knowledge of the ins and outs of Missouri criminal law.
Ingerson was finally arrested after driving to Missouri to meet with investigators from his home in Ely, Minnesota. The police started working right after his confession to lay the groundwork for the arrest, contacting both women about the claim. Both confirmed the details of the assaults which occurred when they were minors, and were happy to hear he would be charged.
The rape charge related to an incident that occurred in 1974 with a girl who was then under the age of 16. The statutory sodomy charge was from contact he had with a young girl, only 15 at the time, back in 1995.
Ingerson worked as a schoolteacher in five or six St. Louis County school districts over the span of more than four decades, beginning in the 1960s and lasting until at least 2010. Ingerson also served as a head baseball coach for the school district and tried his hand at coaching football and wrestling. Prosecutors say they have not heard complaints of any other incidents and Ingerson has denied any other crimes. The schools where Ingerson worked have all been contacted and an investigation into his contact with students is ongoing.
Sex crimes are taken very seriously throughout the country. Even the mere hint of an allegation can ruin an individual's reputation so it is important to have a strong advocate on your side if you have been accused of a crime. If you require the assistance of a Missouri criminal defense attorney, contact our St. Louis Criminal Defense Firm today at (314) 863-0500.
Source: "Former teacher in St. Louis area charged with sex crimes," by Nancy Cambria, published at STLToday.com.
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