PARIS – Prosecutors from the French Appeal Court announced that an American individual, Ian Cleary, who is accused of sexually assaulting a college student in Pennsylvania back in 2013, was extradited to the United States on Thursday. Cleary reportedly sent a chilling message via Facebook to the victim, stating, “So I raped you.”
The Appeal Court in Metz, located in northeastern France, confirmed that Cleary was handed over to U.S. officials at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. Cleary, a 31-year-old from Saratoga, California, was apprehended in Metz in April following a three-year pursuit for his arrest. He had been in custody while awaiting the extradition process after the court in Metz ruled in July that he could be sent back to the U.S.
Shannon Keeler, the former Gettysburg University student who has been advocating for justice for over a decade, expressed that she felt a “renewed faith” in the justice system upon learning of Cleary’s extradition. “This arrest and extradition provide me with renewed faith that, after so many years of waiting, the justice system can indeed function when survivors are persistent, supported by their family, friends, advocates, and attorneys,” Keeler stated in a press release from her attorney.
The urgency to locate Cleary intensified after a felony warrant was issued in Pennsylvania in 2021, shortly after a report highlighted the hesitance of local prosecutors to address sexual assault cases on college campuses. The warrant alleges that Cleary stalked Keeler during a party at the college, broke into her dormitory, and assaulted her while she sought help from friends through text messages. At the time, he was a 20-year-old student at Gettysburg but subsequently did not return to the institution.
On the day of the assault, Keeler underwent a rape examination and collected witness accounts and evidence. After years of advocating for legal action, she reached out to the authorities again in 2021 upon discovering unsettling messages that appeared to be sent from Cleary’s account.
The messages included disturbing statements such as: “So I raped you,” “I’ll never do it to anyone ever again,” “I need to hear your voice,” and “I’ll pray for you.” Authorities confirmed through a warrant issued in June 2021 that the Facebook account associated with the messages belonged to Cleary.
Normally, victims of sexual assault are not identified without their consent, but Keeler has granted permission for her name to be shared. Andrea Levy, Keeler’s attorney, praised her for the tremendous courage and determination she exhibited throughout the lengthy process, expressing gratitude towards law enforcement officials at various levels who contributed to locating, apprehending, and extraditing Cleary.
