Lowell man pleads guilty to stalking Ariana Grande

LOWELL — A Lowell man’s three-year obsession over singer Ariana Grande came to an end on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to harassing the pop star by sending her unwanted gifts and professing his undying love.

In Lowell District Court on Tuesday, Timothy J. Normandin, 31, of Lowell, was placed on probation for three years after pleading guilty to criminal harassment for his fixation on Grande.

Judge Ellen Caulo ordered Normandin to continue with mental-health counseling. At a previous court hearing, a court clinician explained that Normandin has a number of mental-health issues, including delusional disorder and paranoia.

Caulo ordered that Normandin abstain from drugs and alcohol, submit to random screens, and not leave the state. The judge also ordered that Normandin stay away from and have no contact with Grande, her family and associates or face possible jail time if he violates his probation.

Prosecutor Matthew Bailey said Normandin’s behavior escalated from fan to fanaticism in 2014, when Normandin used text messages, social media, the United States Postal Service and even traveled to New York and Connecticut to try to talk to Grande.

Normandin is accused of sending Grande a barrage of text messages and unwanted gifts, including a 42-pound pumpkin, eight Yankee candles, a $200 anklet, dog and cat calendars, and a rock from the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Lowell police questioned Normandin about a 2015 incident when he reportedly showed up at Grande’s location at the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut.

He was allegedly stopped by Grande’s security when he tried to get past the singer’s guards.

During police questioning, Normandin allegedly screamed at officers, “It’s love, not threats.”

At the time, Normandin’s Facebook page allegedly featured numerous posts about Grande, including lewd poems accusing the 21-year-old singer of “cheating” on him and videos of him singing her name.

“My love sets you free so you can spite me as you please and hope it works out. But, you’d be best with me, that’s a certainty, no doubt,” he wrote.

Ariana Grande-Butera, born in 1993, is an American singer and actress who began her career in the Broadway musical “13.” As a musician, her accolades include three American Music Awards, the Music Business Association’s Breakthrough Artist of the Year, an MTV Video Music Award, three MTV Europe Music Awards and four Grammy Award nominations.

Follow Lisa Redmond on Tout and Twitter@lredmond13_lisa.