Indianapolis authorities on Sunday charged a man with stalking WNBA star Caitlin Clark, saying the man continued to threaten Clark even after police warned him to stop.
Prosecutors in the case say 55-year-old Texas resident Michael Lewis sent the Indiana Fever guard dozens of threatening and sexually explicit messages on X/Twitter. He faces one charge of stalking, which could come with a prison sentence of one to six years if convicted.
The investigation also found Lewis’s recent messages stemmed from IP addresses in Indianapolis and that he was staying in a hotel downtown.
Marion County’s affidavit for probable cause shows multiple X messages from Lewis in which he tags Clark’s account.
“Been driving around your house 3x a day..but don’t call the law just yet, the [public] is allowed to drive by gainbridge..aka Caitlin’s Fieldhouse,” one post read.
“We are coming to u live from downtown indy and we have a special guest named Michael on vacation from Texas,” another read.
The nature of the messages prompted the FBI to contact X for an emergency disclosure in light of his posts, according to court documents.
Officers visited Lewis on Jan. 8 and asked about his messages, to which he acknowledged it was “an imaginary relationship.” He said he was on vacation in Indianapolis and denied making threatening posts. Lewis continued to message Clark despite the police visit, the affidavit said. He was arrested Sunday.
Stalking and online abuse have been major issues in women’s basketball.
In August, Robert Cole Parmalee, a 40-year-old Oregon man, was arrested and accused of stalking Connecticut star Paige Bueckers. He pleaded guilty in December to second-degree stalking and received a one-year suspended sentence and three years’ probation.
Parmalee is also barred from the state of Connecticut during his probation, in addition to all arenas, hotels, and practice facilities where UConn’s women’s basketball team is present. The WNBA also barred him from all arenas and practice facilities.
In September, Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington shared a threatening email she received on her Instagram account, which came after her team eliminated Clark and the Fever in the playoffs. The following month, New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart revealed she and her wife received a threatening anti-gay email after Game 1 of the WNBA Finals.
In Clark’s case, prosecutors filed an order banning Lewis from Hinkle Fieldhouse on Butler University’s campus and Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the two arenas where the Fever regularly play.
The affidavit said Clark told police she’s feared for her safety since learning of the messages and adjusted her public appearances and movements as a result.
“No matter how prominent a figure you are, this case shows that online harassment can quickly escalate to actual threats of physical violence,” Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears said in the release. “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.”
Lewis is set to appear in court Tuesday and is being held on $100,000 bail.
