PARIS — French Appeal Court prosecutors have confirmed the extradition of Ian Cleary, an American man accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013. Cleary was apprehended and transferred to U.S. authorities on Thursday at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
The 31-year-old resident of Saratoga, California, was detained in Metz this past April following a three-year international search. He has remained in custody since his arrest, and a ruling by the Appeal Court in Metz allowed for his extradition earlier this year.
Cleary became a fugitive after a felony warrant was issued in Pennsylvania in 2021, prompted by a detailed report that highlighted local prosecutors’ reluctance to pursue sexual assault cases on college campuses. The warrant alleges that Cleary stalked an 18-year-old student from Gettysburg College, breaking into her dorm room and assaulting her while she sought help via text.
The victim, Shannon Keeler, underwent a rape examination on the day of the incident. For years, she gathered witnesses and evidence in support of her case, ultimately going to authorities again in 2021 after discovering incriminating Facebook messages from Cleary’s account. Among the messages, one read, “So I raped you.”
In addition, Cleary reportedly sent messages stating, “I’ll never do it to anyone ever again,” and “I need to hear your voice.” Authorities confirmed that the Facebook account used to send the messages was linked to Cleary.
The developments in this case continue to raise awareness about the challenges surrounding the prosecution of sexual assault cases, particularly on college campuses.
