A Texas man was arrested and charged Sunday in Indianapolis after authorities accused him of sending threatening and sexually violent messages to WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark over social media.
Marion County prosecutors said Michael Lewis, 55, of Denton, Texas, was taken into custody on felony stalking charges after officials said he sent messages to Clark on X that alluded to sexually assaulting the 22-year-old WNBA Rookie of the Year.
“Been driving around your house 3x a day,” read one of Lewis’ messages to Clark, who plays guard for the Indiana Fever, according to court documents. “But don’t call the law just yet, the publc is allowed to drive by gainbridge..aka Caitlin’s Fieldhouse.”
“I’m getting tickets. I’m sitting behind the bench,” read another message.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police conducted a welfare visit with Lewis after the FBI traced the messages to a hotel downtown, according to court documents.
Prosecutors said officers instructed Lewis to stop sending the messages because they could be deemed threatening. All of Lewis’ messages were sent between Dec. 16, 2024, and Jan. 2, 2025.
The filing said Lewis told officers he was in an “imaginary relationship” with Clark — who never responded to the messages — and said his correspondence was a “fantasy type thing” and a “joke” that was not meant to be threatening.
“They said I was sending threatening texts..but the only though on my mind was….CAITLIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNN,” a message from Lewis to Clark read after he was confronted by police, according to court documents.
The charging documents said one of the messages contained a threat “with the intent to place Caitlin Clark in reasonable fear of sexual battery.”
Clark told authorities she was afraid about Lewis spotting her in public and even changed her appearance to avoid that possibility.
Prosecutors are looking to ban Lewis from both venues where the Fever play — Hinkle Fieldhouse and Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Lewis is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.
If convicted of the stalking offense, he could spend up to six years in prison.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
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