French Appeal Court prosecutors in Metz announced Thursday that Ian Cleary, an American man accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013, has been extradited to the United States.

Cleary, 31, of Saratoga, California, was handed over to U.S. authorities at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. His arrest in Metz in April followed a three-year international search.

Cleary had been held in custody in France pending extradition proceedings since his detention. His extradition marks a significant development in the long-running case, which will now proceed in the United States.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.