An Oregon man accused of stalking and harassing UConn's Paige Bueckers has been charged with these crimes.
In August, Parmalee was apprehended for an unrelated offense while in Connecticut.
A man from Oregon was apprehended and accused of stalking and harassing UConn women's basketball player Paige Bueckers following reports that he made multiple "alarming social media posts" about wanting a romantic connection with her.
According to an arrest affidavit from the UConn Police Department, Robert Cole Parmalee, 40, was charged with one count of breaching the peace, electronic stalking and harassment on Friday.
In the summer of 2024, Grants Pass, Oregon resident Parmalee came to the attention of police after several members of UConn's communications department received emails with "rambling comments" and references to Bueckers.
An incident report revealed that Parmalee stated in emails that he was a member of the royal family and desired to marry Bueckers. He also compared himself to Apollo and Bueckers to Athena in Greek mythology. Subsequent investigation uncovered that Parmalee had made similar statements on social media, including a poem requesting Bueckers to marry him.
At the time, the police stated that although the posts were unusual, they did not pose a threat.
In July, another incident report was filed, accusing Parmalee of sending "rambling" emails about Bueckers and other college basketball players, including Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Despite police records stating that the comments were not harassing or threatening, they were still criticized.
In late August, Parmalee was arrested by the Connecticut State Police while walking on Route 20 near Bradley International Airport. He informed police that he was going to meet Paige. At the time, he was wanted in Oregon for arson charges and was taken into custody. However, later, law enforcement in Connecticut discovered that the charges against him would be dropped.
On Thursday, a warrant was issued for stalking and harassment, as stated in the arrest affidavit. The evidence gathered from social media platforms, including Facebook and TikTok, revealed the suspect's "fantasized idea that he and [victim] were in a relationship, his desire to marry [victim]," and references to the victim's family.
In February 2024, Bueckers received direct messages from Parmalee on Instagram, but they never had direct contact. After learning of his arrest in Connecticut in August, she became concerned as she deemed Parmalee to be making a direct effort to come in contact with her.
She expressed concerns about the safety of herself, family and teammates.
On Monday, Parmalee was present in court and is currently being held on a $100,000 bond, as reported by ESPN. Additionally, a protective and no-contact order was issued for "PB."
Parmalee's criminal history spans from 2002 to 2023 and includes charges of criminal mischief, burglary, sexual abuse, harassment, theft, DUI, driving with a suspended/revoked license, and possession of methamphetamine.
He is scheduled to appear in court again on Oct. 22.
Subscribe to the Planet Chronicle Sports Huddle newsletter and follow Planet Chronicle Digital's sports coverage on X.
sports
You might also like
- Simone Biles' score review was disregarded by Olympic judges, resulting in a broken US tie with China.
- Four US Paralympians were excluded from the closing ceremonies due to social media remarks challenging a teammate's disability.
- Cardinals staff apologizes for misunderstanding after woman is forced to discard MAGA hat at game.
- The Blue Jackets unveil one method they'll pay tribute to Johnny Gaudreau during the current season.
- Amid a surge in popularity, the WNBA grants an expansion team to Portland.