Ian Cleary, an American man accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013, has been extradited to the United States, according to French Appeal Court prosecutors. Cleary, 31, was handed over to U.S. authorities at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport after being detained in Metz, France, following a three-year international search for his arrest.

Cleary's extradition is a significant development in this long-running case, which has been marked by troubling allegations and disturbing evidence. The case revolves around accusations from Shannon Keeler, the victim, who claims that Cleary sexually assaulted her at a fraternity party while she was a student at Gettysburg College in December 2013. The disturbing messages Cleary allegedly sent to her included, "So I raped you," which deepened the urgency for law enforcement to pursue his extradition.

Following an arrest warrant issued in 2021, which came a few weeks after an investigation revealed local prosecutors' hesitations to act on campus sexual assault cases, Cleary was placed on the run in Europe until his capture. In her statements, Keeler expressed gratitude for the law enforcement efforts, indicating that the process to bring Cleary to justice took immense perseverance.

Keeler’s testimony details how she was stalked during a party, assaulted in her dorm, and how she fought for years to ensure the case moved forward. Cleary's extradition gives "renewed faith" in the justice system, as Keeler stated, highlighting the importance of persistent advocacy and support from family and friends. Legal representatives noted, “It took an incredible amount of courage and unwavering resolve for Shannon to get this far” in her fight for justice.

With Cleary now back in the U.S., legal proceedings are expected to continue, allowing Keeler's case to finally see its day in court. The struggle faced by Keeler embodies the broader challenges surrounding sexual violence prosecution on college campuses, where many allegations go unreported or unaddressed.

For more details on this developing story, you can read the full articles from Los Angeles Times, CBS News, and Newsweek.