Criminal charges dismissed against Sabrina Carpenter's accused stalker after judge rules him mentally incompetent
Criminal charges against William Applegate, the 31-year-old man accused of stalking Sabrina Carpenter, have been dismissed after a judge ruled him mentally incompetent to stand trial. The ruling was handed down in a Hollywood courtroom following a psychiatric evaluation, according to Billboard.
On August 25, 2025, a judge overruled objections from prosecutors and found Applegate too mentally unwell to face the charges against him, the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office confirmed. The decision closes the criminal case — meaning the court will not proceed with prosecution — but it does not remove all legal restrictions on Applegate.
A five-year restraining order remains in place, requiring Applegate to stay at least 100 yards from Carpenter's home, car and workplaces until 2031. That order was first issued in June 2025 by a judge in downtown Los Angeles, CBS Los Angeles reported.
Carpenter, 27, filed for the protective order in May after an incident captured on her doorbell camera showed Applegate allegedly trespassing at her Los Angeles home, according to ABC7. In a legal petition, Carpenter described Applegate as a "complete stranger" who had surveilled her home for a month before attempting to break in, Billboard reported.
In a court declaration, Carpenter said Applegate had falsely claimed to know her personally — a claim she described as evidence of what she called a dangerous, delusional and irrational fixation on her. Applegate opposed the restraining order, telling the court that he and Carpenter were part of the same "classified military-government program," Billboard reported.
The day after the June restraining order was issued, Applegate was charged with eight misdemeanour counts, including stalking, disorderly conduct, battery, attempting to enter a non-commercial dwelling and trespassing, NBC Los Angeles and CBS Los Angeles reported.
Mental incompetency, in legal terms, means a defendant is unable to understand the proceedings against them or assist in their own defence. When a court makes that finding, criminal charges cannot move forward, though civil protections like restraining orders stay in effect.
Applegate's attorneys and representatives for Carpenter did not return requests for comment as of August 27, 2025.
For Carpenter, the outcome means the criminal case is closed but the protective order — and the legal distance it enforces — will remain in place for the next five years.
