Accused of 2013 dorm room rape, Ian Cleary seen for first time since extradition to U.S.
Former Gettysburg College student-athlete Ian Cleary, accused of raping a fellow student in 2013 and later sending her a chilling Facebook message reading “so I raped you,” has hired a private attorney to assess a possible plea agreement negotiated by public defenders.
Now 32, Cleary was photographed for the first time behind bars after his extradition from France earlier this year. He appeared Thursday in Adams County District Court — just blocks from the dorm room where the alleged assault occurred more than a decade ago.
Cleary switches legal team amid plea deal talks
The former Division III hockey goalie recently retained private legal counsel at the urging of his parents, according to statements made during the hearing. This move comes as prosecutors and defense attorneys explore a resolution to the criminal charges stemming from the alleged sexual assault of then-18-year-old freshman Shannon Keeler.
Keeler has spent years pressing for justice after claiming Cleary raped her in her dorm room following a frat party in 2013. Despite promptly reporting the incident to police and undergoing a rape exam, her case languished until 2021 — when Cleary sent a string of unsolicited Facebook messages that included what appeared to be a confession.
“So I raped you”: Facebook messages revive dormant case
“So I raped you,” Cleary wrote in a 2021 Facebook message to Keeler, years after the alleged assault and long after he had left Gettysburg College. In other messages, Cleary appeared to minimize the incident, claiming he was high and needed to catch a flight.
“I’ll never do it to anyone ever again,” he wrote in another message.
“I need to hear your voice,” he added.
The disturbing messages led Keeler to renew her efforts with Pennsylvania authorities, who eventually filed felony charges and issued a warrant for Cleary’s arrest — eight years after the alleged assault. At the time of the attack, Cleary’s identity was unknown to Keeler, who said she believed it was a friend knocking at her door after she returned to her dorm. Instead, she says, it was Cleary, who then raped her before fleeing the scene.
Years abroad before arrest and extradition
Cleary left Gettysburg College shortly after the incident amid the early stages of the investigation. His withdrawal led the school to terminate its Title IX inquiry into the allegations. He later enrolled at Santa Clara University, where he completed both undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Before his arrest, Cleary worked for Tesla and moved to France, where he lived a self-described life of travel and writing. He was taken into custody in Metz, France in 2024 and extradited to the United States in January 2025.
Court proceedings continue, prison sentence looms
If convicted, Cleary could face up to 10 years in prison. He is scheduled to return to court on July 17.
The case has reignited conversations about the long delays survivors often face in seeing justice served, particularly when institutions fail to act promptly on serious allegations. For Keeler, who first came forward in 2013, the possibility of a conviction more than a decade later marks a significant — if delayed — step in her fight for accountability.
