French man arrested in Oklahoma after allegedly stalking Darci Lynne

A 60-year-old French man who spent $10,000 in an attempt to meet Darci Lynne Farmer is behind bars after being arrested for allegedly stalking the Oklahoma native who made it big as a teen ventriloquist on “America’s Got Talent.”

Jose Thierry Maurice Ryba remains at the Oklahoma County jail on a $1 million bond.

On May 4, Oklahoma City police were dispatched to Farmer’s home on a call of suspicious activity.

Farmer’s father told 911 dispatchers his daughter, 19, was a celebrity and a “suspicious male stalker just arrived from France trying to get into their gated community and was stopped by security,” a detective wrote in an arrest warrant affidavit.

A security guard for the gated community told police a 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee arrived at the guard booth and the driver, who identified himself as “Jose,” asked to see the Farmer family.

When security didn’t see Ryba on the visitation list, he called Farmer’s father, who said the man was not allowed in the community and should be ordered to leave immediately.

When the guard ordered Ryba to leave, Ryba tried to negotiate and “begged for 10 minutes of time,” according to the affidavit. Ryba finally left.

According to the affidavit, Farmer’s parents had recently received phone calls from a French number.

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On May 2, Farmer performed at Riverwind Casino in Norman.

Ryba attended, took photos of Farmer and approached her at the end of the event. Farmer told police she didn’t recognize Ryba from a meet and greet, or the VIP.

Ryba handed her a plastic bag that had a red gift bag inside. He identified himself as being from France and said his email and phone number were part of the contents.

He said he wanted to talk to Farmer but she “didn’t really have anything to say” and the conversation ended, according to the affidavit.

Inside the “Histoire d’Or” gift bag was a box of chocolates, tickets to the showcase, a set of earrings and a handwritten note from Sleep-Inn Hotel stationery.

The note said “love and kisses” with a drawing of a heart and smiley faces.

Farmer’s mother left the note with security.

She described Ryba as having a French accent, light complexion, “extremely hairy, stout and round,” and under 5 feet 10 inches with dark hair under a ball cap. He wore prescription glasses.

On Sunday, Ryba showed up at Church of the Servant in the 14300 block of North MacArthur Boulevard hoping to meet Farmer.

He approached Farmer’s mother and asked to speak with Darci, according to the affidavit. Farmer’s mother immediately recognized Ryba from the Riverwind Casino and asked him to leave.

Two off-duty Oklahoma City police officers, who were working security for the church, noticed that Ryba “was arguing” with Farmer’s mother and “would not leave her alone,” according to an arrest report.

Officers detained Ryba and took Farmer’s mother to another room “because she appeared that she was very disturbed," according to the arrest report.

Police took Ryba to downtown headquarters for an interview.

Ryba admitted to going to Farmer’s gated community and trying to speak with her before being turned away behind security, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

He allegedly admitted to “calling the phone numbers 2-3 times but only left a voicemail the final time,” the detective wrote in the affidavit.

Ryba admitted going on the internet and paying for Farmer’s personal information, including family phone numbers and her address, according to the affidavit.

“Jose explained he had been scammed 5-6 times on the internet by people impersonating Darci and has lost upwards of $10,000 trying to meet her,” the detective wrote in the affidavit. “Jose wants a relationship with Darci either romantic or a friendship.”

Ryba was booked into the Oklahoma County jail later that day.

The Farmer family told investigators they were frightened and felt threatened by Ryba.

Farmer filed a protective order against him.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Darci Lynne stalker arrested in OKC after attempts to meet AGT star