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Katie Barnes, ESPN.com
VERNON, Conn. — An Oregon man was held on $100,000 bond after appearing in Connecticut Superior Court in Rockville on Monday to face charges that he stalked and harassed UConn women’s basketball standout Paige Bueckers. He was arrested by UConn Police on Friday.
Robert Cole Parmalee, 40, of Grants Pass, Oregon, is charged with breach of peace, electronic stalking and harassment. Parmalee is also referred to as Parmelee in various documents and social media accounts.
According to UConn Police, officials in UConn’s communications department became aware of Parmalee in June after they received emails that were described by campus police as “rambling.” Police said Parmalee’s emails claimed he was a member of the royal family and wanted to marry a member of the women’s basketball team. His social media posts contained dozens of references to Bueckers, including a post of a fake wedding invitation and multiple photos of Parmalee with what appears to be a diamond engagement ring.
Parmalee also made social media posts that a UConn Police officer depicted as threatening to Bueckers’ friends and family. One post on his TikTok account read: “And if I cannot live with a woman of my choosing, [Bueckers], then I will choose to die, and I will choose to take all of you that [op]pose me, oppose us, to hell, and return, king…”
Parmalee previously was arrested on Aug. 27 by Connecticut State Police after an officer observed him walking along a limited-access highway near Bradley International Airport outside Hartford. According to UConn Police, Parmalee told state police when picked up on the highway that he was going to see Bueckers.
The arresting officer was notified by dispatch of an outstanding warrant for Parmalee’s arrest in Oregon. Parmalee was arrested and facing extradition to Oregon, but, according to a statement from UConn, Oregon planned to move to dismiss those charges. UConn PD served its arrest warrant on Friday at Hartford Correctional Center.
Prior to his arrest on Aug. 27, Parmalee posted on social media that he was coming to propose to Bueckers and to get her expelled from UConn.
According to an affidavit on an arrest warrant application, Parmalee began sending videos via Instagram to Bueckers, identified as Victim 1, in February. According to the affidavit, Bueckers told police she never responded. On Friday, according to the affidavit, Bueckers told UConn Police that she was concerned about her safety and the safety of her family and teammates.
Attorneys representing Bueckers declined to comment. A UConn athletics spokesperson said neither Bueckers, nor coach Geno Auriemma or the women’s basketball team would be making a statement.
Protective and no-contact orders were issued for “PB” in court on Monday. Should Parmalee make bail, Judge Richard Rubino said, he would be subject to “intense pretrial supervision” and GPS monitoring.
In addition to emailing UConn, Parmalee contacted officials at USC, LSU and a sports agent, according to police.
His next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 22 at Connecticut Superior Court in Rockville.
