VERNON, Conn. — An Oregon man was ordered held on $100,000 bail after appearing Monday in Connecticut Superior Court in Rockville to face charges of stalking and harassment against 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 disorderly conduct, harassment and electronic harassment. Parmalee is also known 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 receiving emails that campus police described as “misleading.” 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 one post of a fake wedding invitation and several photos of Parmalee wearing what appears to be a diamond engagement ring.
Parmalee also made social media posts that a UConn police officer described as threatening to Bueckers' friends and family. One post on his TikTok account read: “And if I can't live with a woman of my choosing, [Bueckers]Then I will choose to die, and I will choose to take all of you with me. [op]Place me, oppose us, to hell, and return, king…
Parmalee had previously been arrested on Aug. 27 by Connecticut State Police after a trooper observed him walking on a limited-access highway near Bradley International Airport outside Hartford. According to UConn Police, Parmalee told state police when they picked him up on the highway that he was going to see Bueckers.
The arresting officer was notified by mail dispatch of an outstanding warrant for Parmalee's arrest in Oregon. Parmalee was arrested and faces extradition to Oregon, but, according to a statement from UConn, Oregon planned to request dismissal of those charges. The UConn Police Department served his arrest warrant on Friday at the Hartford Correctional Center.
Before his arrest on Aug. 27, Parmalee posted on social media that he was coming to propose to Bueckers and get her expelled from UConn.
According to an affidavit in 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 she was concerned for her safety and the safety of her family and teammates.
Attorneys representing Bueckers declined to comment. A UConn athletics spokesman said neither Bueckers, coach Geno Auriemma nor the women's basketball team would comment.
Protective and no-contact orders were issued in court against “PB” on Monday. If Parmalee were to be released on bail, Judge Richard Rubino said, he would be subject to “intense pretrial supervision” and GPS monitoring.
In addition to emailing UConn, Parmalee communicated with 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.
