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Man charged with stalking and intimidating UConn’s Paige Bueckers
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Man charged with stalking and intimidating UConn’s Paige Bueckers

VERNON, Conn. — An Oregon man was being held on $100,000 bail after appearing in Connecticut Superior Court in Rockville Monday to face charges he stalked and harassed UConn women’s basketball star Paige Bueckers. He was arrested Friday by UConn police.

Robert Cole Parmalee, 40, of Grants Pass, Oregon, is charged with disorderly conduct, electronic stalking and harassment. Parmalee is also referred to as Parmelee in various documents and on social media accounts.

According to UConn police, officials in UConn’s communications department were alerted to Parmalee in June after receiving emails that campus police described as “gibberish.” 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 posting of a fake wedding invitation and multiple photos of Parmalee wearing what appeared to be a diamond engagement ring.

Parmalee also posted messages on social media that depicted a UConn police officer as threatening Bueckers’ friends and family. One message on his TikTok account read: “And if I can’t live with a woman that I choose, (Bueckers), then I choose to die, and I choose to take all of you who are (against) me, who oppose us, to hell with me, and return, king…”

Parmalee was previously arrested on Aug. 27 by Connecticut State Police after an officer spotted him walking on a limited-access highway near Bradley International Airport outside Hartford. According to UConn Police, Parmalee told state police when he was 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 was scheduled to be extradited to Oregon, but according to a statement from UConn, Oregon planned to drop those charges. UConn PD served his arrest warrant Friday at Hartford Correctional Center.

Before his arrest on August 27, Parmalee posted on social media that he was going to propose to Bueckers and get her expelled from UConn.

According to an affidavit in an arrest warrant application, Parmalee began sending videos to Bueckers, identified as Victim 1, on Instagram in February. Bueckers told police she never responded, according to the affidavit. On Friday, Bueckers told UConn police she was concerned for her safety and the safety of her family and teammates, according to the affidavit.

Attorneys representing Bueckers declined to comment. A spokesman for UConn Athletics said neither Bueckers nor coach Geno Auriemma or the women’s basketball team would be making a statement.

Protective and restraining orders were issued in court Monday for “PB.” Should Parmalee post bail, he would be subject to “intensive pretrial supervision” and GPS monitoring, according to Judge Richard Rubino.

According to police, Parmalee not only sent emails to UConn, but also contacted officials from USC, LSU and a sports agent.

His next court appearance is scheduled for October 22 in Connecticut Superior Court in Rockville.