Sabrina Carpenter Stalking Case Dismissed After Man Found Mentally Incompetent

LOS ANGELES, CA — A man accused of stalking singer Sabrina Carpenter by repeatedly showing up at her Los Angeles home was found mentally incompetent to stand trial, prompting the dismissal of misdemeanor charges against him, the City Attorney's Office confirmed Wednesday.

William Applegate, 31, appeared in a Hollywood courtroom Tuesday for a mental competency hearing, during which he was found unfit to stand trial, and stalking and other charges against him were tossed despite the objection of city prosecutors, according to the City Attorney's Office.

The stalking charge alleges that the crime occurred Aug. 23 of last year, while the other charges — including trespassing, disorderly conduct, attempting to enter a non-commercial dwelling and battery — involve alleged crimes May 23 of this year.

In June, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge David Wasserman issued a stay-away order requiring Applegate to remain at least 100 yards away from Carpenter. The order came less than three weeks after the singer obtained a temporary restraining order against Applegate.

Carpenter contended in court papers that Applegate made multiple visits to her Los Angeles home and was caught on video by her doorbell camera.

During the June court hearing, Applegate repeated statements he made in a sworn declaration in opposition to an extension of the stay-away order, to the effect that he and Carpenter are both currently part of a classified "military government program."

"Carpenter and I being together as soon as possible is essential not only to the success of the program, but to national and global security and the possibility of our continuing existence on this planet both as a global community and as a species," Applegate said in his declaration.

Applegate said he and Carpenter met during a July 2025 concert when she performed in London.

Carpenter appeared virtually for the June hearing, but did not testify.

Attorneys for Carpenter say Applegate appeared May 23 at the singer's home and tried to "force his way inside." Applegate's security team tried to get him away from the property, but he struggled and insisted that he knew Carpenter and that she was expecting him. Los Angeles police were ultimately called and took him into custody.

Jail records show he was booked into jail that night, but he was cited and released the next morning.

Applegate allegedly went back to Carpenter's house later that same day, and he was again escorted away by security, according to court documents. But he then allegedly returned to the home the following day.

The singer's court papers alleged that Applegate has been actively stalking her since the end of April, and his behavior has been on a "deeply troubling escalation pattern." The court filing included a series of photos from her doorbell camera showing the man at her door.

City News Service