Michael Lewis, a 55-year-old man from Texas, has been arrested and charged with stalking WNBA star Caitlin Clark. He allegedly sent her multiple threatening and sexually explicit messages through social media. According to court documents, Lewis contacted Clark on X between December 16 and January 2, with messages containing both threatening and explicit content. Clark, who is the 2024 Women's National Basketball Association Rookie of the Year, reported these messages to the police, expressing concern for her safety.

The messages reportedly sent by Lewis included statements such as, "@CaitlinClark22 been driving around your house 3x a day... but don't call the law just yet; the public is allowed to drive by Gainbridge, also known as Caitlin's Fieldhouse." Another message stated, "I'm getting tickets. I'm sitting behind the bench." Due to safety concerns, Clark began altering her appearance when in public. Prosecutors noted in court documents that these social media posts "caused Caitlin Clark to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, or threatened."

Lewis was arrested on Sunday at a hotel in Indianapolis, where Clark's team, the Indiana Fever, is based. The FBI traced the IP addresses of the messages to the hotel, leading to Lewis's arrest. He claimed that his messages were "an imagination, fantasy type thing and it's a joke, and it's nothing to do with threatening." However, prosecutors maintain that the messages qualify as stalking, which could result in a penalty of up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears commended Clark for coming forward and reporting the messages, stating that "it takes a lot of courage for women to come forward in these cases, which is why many don’t." Mears emphasized the importance of taking threats and harassment seriously, especially against women. Lewis is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday morning to face the stalking charges.