Man accused of stalking UConn star Paige Bueckers made bizarre marriage claims

Authorities in the state of Connecticut have arrested and charged a 40-year-old Oregon man with stalking and harassing UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers.

Robert Cole Parmalee was served an arrest warrant by UConn police on Friday while he was being held at the Hartford Correctional Center and was being held on $100,000 bail following his court appearance on Monday, ESPN reported.

Parmalee was formally charged with disturbing the peace, electronic stalking and harassment.

According to UConn police, Parmalee came to UConn's attention in June after the university's communications department received “sprawling” emails in which he claimed he was a member of the royal family and wanted to marry a member of UConn's women's basketball team.

Parmalee allegedly made dozens of social media posts referring to Bueckers and allegedly made posts that appeared threatening to the UConn basketball star, her friends and her family.

In a post on his TikTok account, according to ESPN, he threatened to kill himself and others “if I cannot live with a woman of my choosing,” apparently referring to Bueckers.

Other social media posts referenced Bueckers and Parmalee appeared to have posted fake wedding invitations along with a picture of a diamond engagement ring.

Parmalee was originally arrested by Connecticut State Police on August 27 while walking on a highway near Bradley International Airport and telling police he was on his way to Bueckers.

WTNH reported that a UConn police report stated: “During this conversation, Parmelee stated that he had fathered >17,000 children and would marry Paige [UCONN WBB Player Paige Bueckers].”

According to ESPN, Parmalee was arrested by state police after it was discovered he was wanted on a warrant in Oregon and was facing extradition to the state when UConn learned the state planned to drop the charges.

Judge Rick Rubino issued a temporary restraining order against Parmalee during his court hearing on Monday.

“You may not attack, threaten, abuse, harass, stalk, interfere with or follow this person,” Rubino told Parmalee in court.

Parmalee is due back in court on October 22.

He was represented by public defender Katie Mallach, who told the court that UConn had officially trespassed at Parmalee and that he would comply with the order.

However, she objected to the charge of electronic stalking, telling the court that this required the intent to kill, injure, harass or intimidate a person. I could not find any of this in the arrest warrant or the police report.”

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Bueckers told authorities that Parmalee began sending her videos on Instagram in February. The UConn women's basketball player also told university police that she was concerned about the safety of herself, her teammates and her family.