Man Pleads Guilty To Stalking Women's College Basketball Star
12/19/2024 11:04 AM
A man pleaded guilty to a second-degree charge for stalking UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers.
According to ESPN's Katie Barnes, Robert Cole Parmalee received a one-year suspended sentence as part of a plea agreement. The 40-year-old from Grant Pass, Oregon, is banned from the state of Connecticut during a three-year probation.
Parmalee is barred from any arena, hotel, or facility where the UConn women's basketball team is present. Protections are in place for when Bueckers goes pro, as the WNBA also banned him from all arenas and facilities.
He must abide by a protective order that will remain in place until Jan. 4, 2064.
Connecticut State Police arrested Parmalee while walking alongside a highway by an airport in August. He wrote on social media that he was going to Connecticut to propose to Bueckers and get her expelled from school.
Parmalee mentioned Bueckers in numerous social media posts, including one with a fake wedding invitation. According to a police affidavit, he also sent her videos. Bueckers, who didn't respond to any of his messages, informed UConn police out of fear for the safety of her friends and family.
Following his guilty plea, Parmalee flew home to Washington on Wednesday night. He must oblige with mental health treatment and recommendations as part of his plea deal.
Bueckers and UConn have declined to comment on the situation, but the 23-year-old's attorney said they're pleased with the outcome.
"My client had requested that [Parmalee] return home, get the evaluation and treatment that he needs, and that she be left alone," Robert Britt said. "We're very happy with that."
Bueckers is averaging 20.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 11 games to start her senior season. The guard is a presumptive favorite to go No. 1 overall in next year's WNBA Draft.
Related: Paige Bueckers, UConn Women's Basketball Team Set Program Record In Tuesday's Win
