HARRISBURG—The Adams County District Attorney’s office last week issued an arrest warrant for former Gettysburg College student Ian Thomas Cleary on the criminal charge of sexual assault. This comes seven and a half years after Shannon Keeler, also a Gettysburg College student at the time, reported the crime to law enforcement. The arrest warrant also follows Shannon bravely sharing her story of sexual assault publically as she pushed for accountability through the criminal justice system.
The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) stands with all survivors of sexual violence and encourages continued support of Shannon and her pursuit of justice. Shannon shared her story with the Associated Press and national television media about her on-campus rape at Gettysburg College in 2013 and discussed the failure of the Adams County District Attorney to prosecute despite physical evidence, eye witness accounts and Facebook messages from Mr. Cleary confessing in 2020.
Advocates supporting sexual harassment, abuse, and assault survivors are united in expressing our disappointment at the delay in prosecution.
Keeler’s attorney, nationally recognized civil and victim rights lawyer, Laura L. Dunn, Esq.is co- representing her in this case along with Legal Director Andrea Levy of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape’s (PCAR) Sexual Violence Legal Assistance Project.
The police are actively searching for Mr. Cleary. Anyone that may have information about his whereabouts is asked to contact Det. Chris Evans of the Gettysburg Bureau Police Department at 717-334-8101.
If you or someone you care about needs help following sexual harassment, abuse or assault, please contact your sexual assault center for free and confidential counseling 24 hours a day in every Pennsylvania county. You can be connected to a local center by visiting www.pcar.org. Survivors may also be able to use the free and confidential legal services of PCAR’s Sexual Violence Legal Assistance Project. Contact PCAR’s legal team at 1-800-692-7445 ext. 190.