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Wednesday, November 13, 2024

US Man Detained in France for ‘So I Raped You’ Facebook Message Can Be Extradited, French Court Decides

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LYON, France — On Monday, a French court decreed that the American‌ man, who ​is alleged to have sexually ⁤assaulted a Pennsylvania ⁤college student in 2013 and subsequently sent her ⁣a Facebook ​message stating, “So I raped ⁢you,” is eligible for extradition to the United States.

The accused, Ian Cleary, 31, hailing from Saratoga, California, was⁤ apprehended in April in Metz, a city in northeastern France, following a⁢ three-year⁣ manhunt. Since his⁢ arrest, he has been in custody ⁢awaiting⁤ the outcome of extradition proceedings.

The Court ⁢of Appeal in Metz has given the green light for Cleary’s extradition. ⁣When questioned about his preference regarding extradition, ⁢in accordance with‌ French law, Cleary declined, according ‌to a statement released by the prosecutors on Monday. This refusal may cause a delay in the extradition process, but it⁤ will not⁢ halt it.

The court’s‍ decision is irrevocable. The French Justice⁢ Ministry is now in charge of Cleary’s case‌ and is tasked with ‌preparing and presenting the extradition order to the⁣ French prime minister. ​As he waits for‍ the prime minister’s approval, Cleary continues to be held in France.

Officials from the Justice Ministry‍ have yet to respond to ⁤requests‍ for comments.

Cleary ​has been the​ target ⁢of an international search since Pennsylvania authorities issued a felony warrant for ⁣his arrest in 2021, a few weeks after an Associated Press report ‌highlighted ​the reluctance ‌of local prosecutors to pursue campus sexual assault cases.

The arrest warrant alleges that Cleary stalked⁣ an 18-year-old​ student from Gettysburg College at a party, infiltrated her dormitory, and sexually assaulted her while she was sending text messages to her friends for help. At the time, Cleary was a 20-year-old student ⁣at Gettysburg, but he did not return ​to the campus.

The victim, Shannon⁤ Keeler, underwent a ​rape examination on the same day she⁤ was assaulted in 2013. She collected evidence and ‍witnesses and spent​ years urging officials⁤ to press‌ charges. In 2021, she approached ⁢the authorities​ again after discovering Facebook messages that appeared to ‌have been sent from​ Cleary’s account.

The sender had written in a series⁣ of messages, “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.”

The Associated Press usually ​does not disclose the identities of sexual‌ assault victims without ⁣their consent, ‍which Keeler has given. The victim’s attorney in Pennsylvania, contacted on Monday, declined to comment‍ on the recent developments.

According to the ⁤warrant​ issued in ⁤June 2021, the police confirmed that the ⁢Facebook account used ‍to send the ⁢messages belonged to Ian ⁢Cleary.⁤ Adams⁤ County District Attorney Brian‍ Sinnett, who ​filed the⁢ warrant, declined to comment on⁢ the recent developments when contacted⁢ on Monday.

After leaving Gettysburg, Cleary obtained undergraduate and graduate⁣ degrees from Santa Clara⁢ University, near his family home⁢ in California. He worked for Tesla and then‍ relocated to France for ​several years. His ‌website reveals ‍that he self-published medieval fiction.

Keeler, originally from⁤ Moorestown, New Jersey,⁣ continued her studies at Gettysburg and played a key role in leading the women’s lacrosse ‌team to a national championship.

By 2023, two years after the​ warrant ‍was issued, ‍Keeler and her attorneys ‌were⁤ puzzled as to how he ​was evading ⁤capture in the ⁢digital age. The U.S. Marshals Service‍ suspected that⁢ he was likely abroad and ⁤constantly moving, despite being the subject of an Interpol red notice.

Across the ⁣U.S., very few campus rapes are prosecuted, both ‌because victims are often reluctant to report​ to the police and prosecutors ⁤are hesitant to‌ pursue cases that can ​be​ challenging ​to win, according to the AP investigation.

When the warrant was issued, Keeler expressed her gratitude but also acknowledged‌ that it only happened‌ “because I went public with ‍my story, which no⁢ survivor should⁣ have ⁤to do in order to ​obtain justice.”

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Truth Media Network
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