New York Man Arrested in Alachua for Stalking and Burglary

ALACHUA ‒ A 51-year-old man from New York, Umardeo Roopnarine, was arrested on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, and charged with stalking and burglary after allegedly breaking into his ex-girlfriend's home in Alachua and hiding inside.

The incident occurred when Roopnarine reportedly entered the woman's house while she was away and concealed himself in a child's room. Upon her return with friends the next morning, the victim discovered him crouching in a corner, where he gestured for her to remain quiet. She immediately alerted her friends, who distracted Roopnarine while she called the police.

An officer from the Alachua Police Department (APD) had already been dispatched to the residence the previous day, Aug. 21, 2024, after the victim reported that Roopnarine had followed her from New York to Florida. According to her, she had allowed him to live in her new home temporarily but had asked him to leave. The victim described an incident in which she awoke to find Roopnarine holding a knife, threatening to kill both her and himself if she refused to be with him. Fearing for her safety, she reported the incident to the authorities.

Officers were unable to locate Roopnarine at the residence on Aug. 21, but they did find his car parked down the road. Later, they observed him walking out of the victim's driveway. When questioned by the police, Roopnarine denied threatening the victim and claimed they had moved to Florida together. He agreed to leave the property voluntarily and was formally trespassed from the premises. Despite his admission, officers found no probable cause to arrest him at that time.

The situation escalated when Roopnarine was discovered inside the home the following morning on Aug. 22, 2024. Post-Miranda, he reportedly admitted to entering through a locked rear door the previous night to “take a shower and rest,” despite knowing he was not permitted on the property.

Roopnarine was charged with burglary, stalking, and trespassing after a warning. During his initial court appearance, he informed a court official that he had been in the area for two weeks and disclosed a prior criminal conviction in New York from 2017.

Judge Kristine Van Vorst ordered Roopnarine held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney's Office to hold him without bail until trial. Bail was later set at $100,000.

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