Texas man charged with stalking WNBA star Caitlin Clark
A Texas man has been charged with stalking WNBA star Caitlin Clark after allegedly sending numerous threats and sexual messages.
Police say he traveled to Indianapolis from North Texas and sent an overwhelming amount of explicit online messages directed to Clark, including claims he was driving around her home.
Denton, Texas man arrested for stalking Caitlin Clark
What we know:
Michael Lewis, a 55-year-old from Denton, was arrested in Indianapolis on Sunday.
An arrest warrant affidavit shows that Lewis sent Clark several sexual and threatening messages on X between Dec. 16 and Jan. 11.
"@CaitlinClark22 been driving around your house 3x a day..but don’t call the law just yet, the publc [sic] is allowed to drive by gainbridge[sic]…aka Caitlin's Fieldhouse," read one of the more tame messages.
Investigators say recent messages from Lewis were tracked to IP addresses in Indianapolis.
Clark plays in Indianapolis for the Indiana Fever.
Marion County prosecutors say that Lewis was staying at a hotel in the area and was confronted by Indianapolis Metropolitan Police on Jan. 8 concerning the messages.
Michael Lewis
Lewis told officers that he was from Texas and claimed to be in Indianapolis on vacation.
When asked about why he had made so many posts about Clark, Lewis said he had an "imaginary relationship" with the WNBA star.
Police talked to Clark on Saturday, who said that she had altered her public appearances and patterns of movement because she feared for her safety after learning Lewis was in Indianapolis, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
Clark also said she didn't know Lewis and that she had never responded to any of his messages.
Police told Lewis to stop. However, just hours after being confronted by police, he resumed posting and tagging Clark.
"@CaitlinClark22 they said I was sending threatening texts..but the only though [sic] on my mind was….CAITLIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNN," read another message.
Many other posts are too explicit to share.
Lewis was arrested on Sunday and charged with felony stalking. The charge is a level 5 felony.
Investigators do not believe Lewis ever showed up to a Fever game or Clark's residence.
Lewis has a lengthy criminal history, including serving time in prison for assault. He was released in 2022. Court records also reveal he was convicted of stalking back in 2018.
If convicted, Lewis could be sentenced to one to six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
What they're saying:
"No matter how prominent a figure you are, this case shows that online harassment can quickly escalate to actual threats of physical violence," said Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears in a statement. "It takes a lot of courage for women to come forward in these cases, which is why many don't. In doing so, the victim is setting an example for all women who deserve to live and work in Indy without the threat of sexual violence."
Caitlin Clark
UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT - SEPTEMBER 25: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever looks as she plays the Connecticut Sun during the fourth quarter of Game Two of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs first round at Mohegan Sun Arena on September 25, 2024 in Uncasville
Clark, 22, was named the AP Female Athlete of the Year for 2024.
Clark's stardom was largely credited with the growth in interest of both women's professional and collegiate basketball.
The former Iowa star broke the NCAA Division I career scoring record for both women and men.
She was then drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever.
In 2024, she also became the fastest player to ever hit 100 threes in the WNBA.
Clark is the fourth women's basketball player to earn the honor of being named the female athlete of the year.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Marion County Prosecutor's Office, an arrest warrant affidavit for Michael Lewis and the Associated Press.