Ex-Gettysburg Faculty student-athlete Ian Cleary was seen in jail photographs for the primary time since hiring a brand new lawyer to evaluate the plea deal for his alleged rape of a feminine freshman — who he messaged years later “so I raped you,” in response to a report.
Cleary, 32, employed a personal lawyer to evaluate a possible plea deal negotiated by Pennsylvania public defenders onbehalf of the previous Division III hockey goalie who allegedly raped a school freshman in her Gettsyburg Faculty dorm room in 2013.
The plea deal had been within the works with the 32-year-old hiring a personal lawyer on the behest of his mother and father, the Adams County District Court docket heard Thursday.
Cleary is alleged to have raped Shannon Keeler, a then-18-year-old freshman on the Pennsylvania school, who has been attempting to get justice for the assault for over a decade.
Keeler stated Cleary adopted her dwelling after a frat celebration, the place she and one other feminine attendee stated he made inappropriate remarks and was sensitive.
Keeler was accompanied by a male pal on her quick stroll again and made it dwelling secure, however later heard a knock at her door and thought it was her pal, she stated. As an alternative, on the door was Cleary, whose title she didn’t even know at that time. He allegedly raped her in her dorm room earlier than working off.
Keeler instantly went to police and underwent a rape check to help her declare that Cleary snuck into her dorm and raped her after a frat celebration — but it surely took a set of sick Fb messages in 2021 to get investigators to pursue justice, she advised the Related Press the identical 12 months.
“So I raped you,” Cleary wrote to Keeler in an out-of-the-blue Fb message.
Within the direct messages, Cleary appeared to aim to rationalize the alleged intercourse crime, saying that he had “to catch a airplane” and that he was “excessive,” screengrabs of the messages present.
“I’ll by no means do it to anybody ever once more,” the alleged rapist wrote.
“I want to listen to your voice,” Cleary eerily wrote.
Keeler efficiently lobbied Pennsylvania authorities to situation a felony warrant for his arrest in 2021 — eight years after native authorities and college officers didn’t help her preliminary authorized efforts.
After the assault in 2013, Cleary left campus within the wake of the burgeoning investigation and by no means returned — later graduating from Santa Clara College with undergraduate and graduate levels.
Cleary’s withdrawal from the varsity ended the faculty’s Title IX investigation into the rape allegations.
He labored for carmaker Tesla earlier than shifting to France to pursue a life-style of journey and writing, in response to his private web site.
Cleary was arrested in Metz, France in 2024 after a yearslong pursuit, extradited to the US in January, and appeared in courtroom for the primary time Thursday lower than one mile from the place the alleged rape came about.
He might resist 10 years in jail if convicted and is due again in courtroom on July 17.
When you have been sexually assaulted and reside in New York, you possibly can name 1-800-942-6906 without spending a dime and confidential disaster counseling. In case you reside outdoors the state, you possibly can dial the 24/7 Nationwide Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
Supply hyperlink
