A Texas man has been charged with stalking Caitlin Clark

A Texas man who prosecutors say sent a series of threatening and sexually explicit messages to basketball star Caitlin Clark and traveled to Indiana to be closer to her has been charged with stalking.

The man, Michael T. Lewis, 55, was arrested Sunday after investigators discovered he had been sending messages from an IP address in Indianapolis and had been staying at a hotel near Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of Ms. Clark’s team, the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office said Monday.

Ms. Clark, 22, told a Marion County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant on Saturday that she had been “very scared” since learning of Mr. Lewis to X and that she “changed her public appearances and movement patterns” because she feared for her safety, court documents state.

Ms Clark said she did not know Mr Lewis and had never responded to any of his messages or posts.

Prosecutors said that Mr. Lewis stalked from December 16 to January 11. Court documents described the messages as “sexually abusive” and said they “actually caused Caitlin Clark to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated or threatened.”

Mr. Lewis traveled to Indianapolis “with the intention of being near the victim,” court documents said.

When Indianapolis police learned he was in town and had spoken to Mr Lewis outside his hotel room on January 8, he told them he was in a “fake relationship” and that his messages were “fantasy,” a “joke” and “has nothing to do with the threat,” the court documents state.

Police asked Mr. Lewis to stop texting Ms. Clark, but he continued, court documents said.

Mr. Lewis was charged with stalking, a felony punishable by up to six years in prison. He is scheduled to appear in Superior Court in Marion on Tuesday. It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer.

On Sunday, the court issued an order requiring Mr. Lewis to stay away from Gainbridge Fieldhouse and Hinkle Fieldhouse, the basketball arenas on the Butler University campus.

“No matter how high-profile you are, this case shows that online harassment can quickly escalate to actual threats of physical violence,” Marion County District Attorney Ryan Mears said in a statement Monday. “It takes a lot of courage for women to come forward in cases like this, which is why many don’t. In doing so, the victim sets an example for all women who deserve to live and work in Indy without the threat of sexual violence.”

A representative for Ms. Clark declined to comment Monday. Indiana Fever did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Ms. Clark has become one of the biggest stars in basketball and is credited with bringing more fans to the WNBA. She won Rookie of the Year in 2024 and led the league in assists, setting a single-season record with 337.

Last month, an Oregon man pleaded guilty to stalking another women’s basketball star, University of Connecticut’s Paige Bueckers. The man was sentenced to one year of probation and three years of probation.