(WFSB) – A man accused of stalking and harassing a University of Connecticut basketball player online faced a judge on Monday.
Robert Parmalee, 40, of Washington State, was accused of sending numerous emails about women’s basketball player Paige Bueckers to university officials.
In court on Monday, the judge kept his bond at $100,000. If he pays it, court officials said he’s not allowed to go to the Town of Mansfield or have any contact with Bueckers.
UConn police said the university’s communications team received abnormal emails from Parmalee that dated back to June. In them, the suspect professed his love and said he wanted to marry Bueckers.
The emails also claimed Parmalee was a member of the Royal Family and made references to Greek mythology with Parmalee being Apollo and Bueckers being Athena.
UConn police arrested Parmalee on an active warrant Friday. He was charged with breach of peace, stalking, and harassment.
Through an investigation, police found an Instagram and Facebook account belonging to Parmalee. They said posts on those sites included a poem written to Bueckers which requested to marry her.
There were also Facebook posts that referenced other former and incoming UConn players, police said.
Parmalee was arrested in Windsor Locks on Aug. 27 on an unrelated arson warrant from Oregon, accused of trying to burn down a home with his roommate inside.
Parmalee had flown into Bradley International Airport.
He was found nearly getting hit by cars on Route 20 in Windsor Locks near the airport. He told state police that he’s fathered more than 17 thousand children and was going to see Bueckers.
UConn police served their warrant after learning Parmalee was about to be released because Oregon was set to dismiss its charges.
UConn students are relieved he never made it to campus.
“I think that’s insane,” said UConn senior Kapita Kalemba. “To fly over here and actually try and enact what he was saying. It’s pretty crazy”
“That’s pretty weird and that’s not safe for the rest of the students either,” Kalemba added.
Former prosecutor and current defense attorney Ryan McGuigan has handled similar cases.
“What we’re talking about here, I believe, is someone who’s mentally deranged and a potential threat to another human being,” said McGuigan. “The correct place for this person isn’t a jail, but it is a mental hospital.”
He is due back in court on Oct. 22.
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