Man arrested for stalking Caitlin Clark after travelling to Indianapolis and sending 'harassing messages'
A Texas man has been arrested for stalking Caitlin Clark after he moved to Indianapolis and reportedly sent the Indiana Fever star a series of messages on social media.
Michael Le
13/01/2025 - 10:36 CST
A Texas man has been arrested for stalking Caitlin Clark after he moved to Indianapolis and reportedly sent the Indiana Fever star a series of messages on social media.
Michael Lewis, 55, of Texas was arrested at a hotel in Indianapolis on Sunday after police say he travelled over 1,000 miles to get closer to Clark.
As per Fox59 News anchor Angel Ganote, authorities in Indianapolis first spoke with Lewis on January 8 after discovering that a series of disturbing posts directed at Clark were coming from IP addresses while he was staying a hotel on N. Market Street.
"I'm getting tickets. I'm sitting behind the bench," Lewis wrote to Clark in one message, according to court documents.
Looking at Lewis' X account, it appears he began sending messages to Clark on December 16. While they initially appeared harmless and made little sense, they began to change with time.
"This fantasy caitlin relationship is changing me for the better. . And about an hour ago i felt strong caitlin feelings. .like sensual. .wow," he wrote on December 27.
A day later he implied that he was already facing a stalking charge while writing: "i already have one foot on a banana peel and the other on a stalking charge. . So i wont be able to wear ur hoodie. .wont look good in court."
Clark alerted Indianapolis Metro Police about the messages, which were described as "threatening and sexually" violent. He reportedly told cops that he was in an "imaginary relationship" with the basketball star and continued to send her messages, which resulted in his arrest over the weekend.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears praised Clark for coming forward and "setting an example for all women."
"No matter how prominent a figure you are, this case shows that online harassment can quickly escalate to actual threats of physical violence," Mears said. "It takes a lot of courage for women to come forward in these cases, which is why many don't.Â
"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."