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

July 9, 2024

Updated: July 9, 2024

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.”