U.S. citizen detained in France for campus sexual assault charges forfeits hearing in Pennsylvania

GETTYSBURG, Pa. — An individual who was extradited from France to Pennsylvania to face accusations related to a sexual assault case from 2013 has chosen to forgo a pretrial hearing scheduled for this week.

Ian Cleary, aged 32, will continue to be held in custody until a formal arraignment takes place in Gettysburg on March 18. He faces serious allegations of stalking a victim from Gettysburg College, unlawfully entering her dormitory, and sexually assaulting her.

Originally from Saratoga, California, Cleary withdrew from the college following the alleged incident and subsequently completed both his undergraduate and graduate studies before relocating to Europe. His legal representation comes from a public defender in Adams County, who opted not to comment on the ongoing case.

The alleged victim, Shannon Keeler, has been determined in her pursuit of charges, intensifying her actions after a disturbing Facebook message years later that stated, “So I raped you.” The charges against Cleary were officially filed in 2021, shortly after she shared her story with a media outlet.

Keeler expressed that Cleary’s extradition this month has revitalized her confidence in the justice system. Following his capture in April, Cleary contested the extradition but ultimately was returned to the U.S. after an unsuccessful appeal in French courts.

It is standard practice not to disclose the identities of sexual assault victims without their consent, and Keeler has given her permission for her name to be used publicly.