Armed Shawn Johnson Stalker Charged with Felony
Man wanted to meet Dancing With the Stars contestant on set
By ANTHONY MCCARTNEY
Updated 7:58 PM EST, Thu, Mar 26, 2009
LOS ANGELES — Cops have filed felony charges against an armed, crazed stalker who authorities say drove cross-country to break onto the "Dancing With the Stars" set to meet Olympian Shawn Johnson - who he hoped would father his children.
Court records show a restraining order was also issued against Robert O'Ryan, who was arrested by Los Angeles police on Tuesday. According to documents that accompanied the restraining order application, O'Ryan was stopped by security at CBS Studios, where "Dancing With the Stars" is produced, after he jumped on a fence on Monday afternoon.
O'Ryan, 34, is being held on $35,000 bail on one felony count of stalking and two misdemeanor counts of carrying a loaded firearm in public, SI reported. Court records do not indicate whether he has a lawyer.
Ryan allegedly drove from Florida to meet Johnson, who was the subject of a batch of love letters found in Ryan's car, Sports Illustrated reported. Police told Johnson's mother, Teri, that Ryan thought the pint-sized Olympic powerhouse was meant to carry his children, according to the magazine.
Photos of Ryan as an innocent prom-goer and clean-cut high school student were posted to TMZ's Web site Thursday.
Police later searched Ryan's car and found two guns and duct tape, the court documents show.
A police spokeswoman said she did not have any more details about the arrest.
Johnson, 17, is a gold medalist in gymnastics, and one of the celebrity contestants on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."
She is "in fear of her life," her parents' attorney wrote in a restraining order application.
Her parents requested and were granted the restraining order on Wednesday. A hearing on whether to grant a lengthy restraining order will be held on April 14.
The records state that he told security guards and police that he packed up all his belongings and traveled to California from Florida in the hopes of being with Johnson.
A report by security guards at CBS Studios states that O'Ryan was carrying an expired concealed weapons permit.
A call placed to an ABC spokeswoman was not immediately returned Wednesday evening.
Copyright Associated Press
First Published: Mar 25, 2009 8:22 PM EST
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