Authorities in Indianapolis have charged a 55-year-old man from Texas, Michael Thomas Lewis, with felony stalking involving Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever star and WNBA Rookie of the Year. According to a court filing from the Marion County prosecutor’s office, Lewis is accused of continuously harassing the 22-year-old Clark starting December 16. Jail records indicate that he is set to appear in court on Tuesday.
An affidavit from a Marion County sheriff’s lieutenant states that Lewis sent numerous messages to Clark on her X account. In one message, he mentioned driving by the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the Fever play, three times a day, and in another, he stated he was “one foot on a banana peel and the other on a stalking charge.” Some messages contained sexually explicit content.
Prosecutors noted that these posts made Clark feel “terrorized, frightened, intimidated, or threatened,” and suggested that Lewis had made threats with the intent to instill a reasonable fear of sexual assault in her.
The FBI confirmed that the X account belonged to Lewis and that the messages originated from IP addresses linked to an Indianapolis hotel and a downtown library.
On January 8, Indianapolis police contacted Lewis at his hotel, where he claimed to be on vacation. When questioned about his numerous posts regarding Clark, Lewis remarked, “Just the same reason everybody makes posts,” as per the court documents. He denied any harmful intent, explaining that he fantasized about being in a relationship with Clark. “It’s an imagination, fantasy type thing and it’s a joke, and it’s nothing to do with threatening,” he stated.
The prosecutor’s office requested a bond higher than the standard amount, asserting that Lewis traveled from Texas to Indianapolis specifically to be near Clark. They also sought a stay-away order if he is released from jail before the trial, which would prohibit him from approaching the Gainbridge and Hinkle fieldhouses where the Fever hosts its games.
As of Monday, the Associated Press could not confirm whether Lewis has legal representation to comment on the charges. Fever officials have also not responded to AP’s request for a statement.
The Associated Press named Clark the Female Athlete of the Year for 2024. After leading Iowa to the national championship game last year, she was the first overall pick in the WNBA draft and was subsequently awarded Rookie of the Year.