In a significant development in a case that captured national attention, Ian Cleary was denied bail during his arraignment on Friday, marking the first court appearance since his arrest last year in France. Cleary, accused of the 2013 rape of a Gettysburg College student, attended the hearing virtually.
According to the victim’s attorney, Cleary appeared in court without legal representation and was interrogated regarding his recent whereabouts. He reportedly had been living transiently in France without a permanent address.
The District Attorney successfully argued for Cleary’s detention without bail, citing him as a “significant flight risk.” This decision comes ahead of his scheduled preliminary hearing on January 29.
The charges stem from an incident nearly a decade ago when Cleary allegedly followed Shannon Keeler, then 18, from a party to her dorm room and sexually assaulted her. The case was reopened in 2021 after Keeler received unsettling messages from Cleary via Facebook, including one stating, “So I raped you. I’ll never do it again.”
Cleary is currently held at Adams County Prison as the legal proceedings continue.
