A Texas man, 55-year-old Michael Lewis, has been charged with stalking after allegedly sending a series of threatening and sexually explicit messages to WNBA star Caitlin Clark over social media.
Lewis was apprehended on Sunday at a hotel in Indianapolis, where Clark’s team, the Indiana Fever, is based.
According to court documents, Lewis’s messages, sent between December 16 and January 2, included alarming statements such as, “Been driving around your house 3x a day… I’m getting tickets. I’m sitting behind the bench.”
Clark, the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, reported the messages to law enforcement after growing concerned for her safety, even adjusting her public appearance to avoid recognition.
Prosecutors stated the messages left Clark feeling “terrorised” and “intimidated.”
Authorities traced the messages to Lewis through IP addresses linked to his hotel.
Lewis, however, claimed the posts were “fantasy” and meant as a joke.
Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears praised Clark’s bravery, emphasizing the importance of holding perpetrators accountable so women can live and work without fear. This incident follows the recent arrest of another man in Oregon for similar charges involving college basketball star Paige Bueckers. If convicted, Lewis faces up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
