Staff report

ALACHUA, Fla. – Umardeo Roopnarine, 51, was arrested late last night and charged with stalking and burglary after allegedly entering his ex-girlfriend’s house while she was away and hiding in a corner of a child’s room when she returned.

An Alachua Police Department officer responded to the victim’s home on August 21, and the victim reported that Roopnarine had followed her after she moved to Alachua from New York to get away from him. She said she had let him live in her new home briefly but no longer wanted him there.

The victim reportedly described an incident in which she had awakened to find Roopnarine holding a knife; she said Roopnarine said if he couldn’t have her, he would kill her and himself. She told the officer she was in fear for her life.

Officers were unable to find Roopnarine at the home on August 21 but reportedly found his car parked down the road and then saw him walking out of the victim’s driveway. When officers spoke with him, he reportedly denied threatening the victim and said he and the victim had moved to Florida together. He reportedly offered to leave the home, give up residency there, and return to New York. An officer advised him that he was trespassed from the victim’s property, and Roopnarine reportedly acknowledged this and left.

At the time, officers found no probable cause for an arrest.

On the morning of August 22, the victim reportedly returned to her home with friends after spending the night somewhere else. She reportedly searched the home for Roopnarine and found him crouching in the corner of a child’s room, where he placed a finger over his lips to signal her to be quiet. She said she left the bedroom and told her friends, who went into the bedroom to distract Roopnarine while she called law enforcement.

Post Miranda, Roopnarine reportedly told the responding APD officer that he had entered the home through a locked rear door. He said he had come in the previous night to take a shower and rest, although he knew he was not supposed to be on the property.

Roopnarine has been charged with burglary, stalking, and trespass after warning. He reportedly told a court official that he has been in the area for two weeks. He has an unspecified criminal conviction in New York from 2017. Judge Kristine Van Vorst ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s Office to hold him without bail until trial.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.