French Court Extradites U.S. Fugitive in 2013 Campus Assault Case

Ian Cleary, an American accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013, has been extradited from France to the U.S. after a prolonged international search. The case initially stalled, but gained traction when the victim discovered incriminating messages, leading to the extradition proceedings.

Prosecutors in France's Appeal Court confirmed the extradition of Ian Cleary, an American charged with sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013. Cleary, who allegedly sent an incriminating Facebook message to the victim years later, was extradited to the United States on Thursday.

Originating from Saratoga, California, Cleary was apprehended in Metz, northeastern France, last April following a three-year manhunt. He was in custody awaiting the outcome of extradition proceedings, which concluded this past July with an approval for extradition.

The case opened after a felony warrant was issued by authorities in Pennsylvania in 2021, triggered by an Associated Press investigation into the local prosecutors' handling of campus assaults. The victim, Shannon Keeler, persistently advocated for justice and renewed efforts after finding messages allegedly from Cleary confessing to the crime.

(With inputs from agencies.)