An individual from Texas accused of stalking Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark was apprehended in Indianapolis over the weekend.
Michael Lewis, aged 55, allegedly made threats and sent sexually explicit messages to Clark, leading to his charge of one count of stalking threatening sexual battery or death, a Level 5 felony, as reported by Fox59 News’ Angela Ganote.
In court documents, Lewis confessed to messaging her, stating, “Been driving around your house 3x a day. But don’t call the law just yet.”
He also expressed his desire to attend Fever games to watch the WNBA star in action and some of his messages were of a “sexually violent” nature.
Clark reported the incident to the authorities and voiced her concern for her safety upon learning of Lewis’ presence in Indianapolis.
Lewis was apprehended on Sunday after his recent messages were traced back to an IP address in Indianapolis, specifically the hotel he was staying at on North Market Street.
Officers had previously visited Lewis on Jan. 8 regarding his unwelcome messages, during which Lewis claimed to be in “an imaginary relationship” with Clark, but he persisted in sending her messages.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears commented, “This case demonstrates that online harassment can quickly escalate to serious threats of physical harm, regardless of one’s public status.”
If found guilty, Lewis could be sentenced to a maximum of six years in prison.
