A French court has ruled that an American man accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a disturbing Facebook message can be extradited to the United States. Ian Cleary, 31, of Saratoga, California, was detained in April in Metz, France, after a three-year search and has been held in custody pending extradition proceedings since then.
The Court of Appeal in Metz has granted the extradition request, despite Cleary's refusal to be extradited. This decision is final, and now the French Justice Ministry is tasked with preparing and submitting the extradition order for the French prime minister's signature. In the meantime, Cleary remains detained in France.
Cleary had been the subject of an international search following a 2021 felony warrant issued by Pennsylvania authorities. The warrant accuses Cleary of stalking and sexually assaulting an 18-year-old Gettysburg College student in 2013. The victim, Shannon Keeler, had undergone a rape exam on the same day of the assault and had been advocating for charges to be filed for years.
The case gained momentum in 2021 when Keeler discovered incriminating Facebook messages allegedly sent by Cleary. The messages included disturbing statements like 'So I raped you' and 'I'll never do it to anyone ever again.' Despite the challenges in prosecuting campus sex crimes, Keeler persisted in seeking justice.
Cleary, who had left Gettysburg College and pursued further education and work in California and France, was eventually located in France. The U.S. Marshals Service had been tracking him, suspecting he was overseas and on the move.
Keeler's determination and advocacy led to the issuance of the arrest warrant, highlighting the challenges faced by sexual assault survivors in seeking justice. The case underscores the importance of addressing campus sex crimes and the difficulties in prosecuting such cases.
