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ESPN Information Companies
Jan 13, 2025, 11:33 AM ET
A 55-year-old Texas man was arrested on a felony stalking cost in Indianapolis on Sunday after he allegedly repeatedly despatched threats and sexually violent messages to Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark through social media, in line with courtroom paperwork.
Police data present that Michael Lewis, of Denton, Texas, was charged with a Stage 5 felony after he was arrested at a lodge in Indianapolis. He’s scheduled to seem in courtroom Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. ET.
Lewis might resist six years in jail and a $10,000 advantageous.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears stated the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Division first spoke to Lewis on Wednesday about his alleged messages to Clark on X, previously referred to as Twitter, from Dec. 16 by way of Jan. 2.
“Been driving round your home 3x a day,” Lewis messaged to Clark, in line with courtroom paperwork. “However do not name the regulation simply but, the publc is allowed to drive by gainbridge..aka Caitlin’s Fieldhouse.”
“I am getting tickets. I am sitting behind the bench,” learn one other message.
“They stated I used to be sending threatening texts..however the one although on my thoughts was….CAITLIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNN,” learn one other.
Different messages have been sexually violent, in line with courtroom paperwork.
The 22-year-old Clark, the WNBA rookie of the yr, informed police she feared for her security — even earlier than Lewis arrived in Indianapolis — and had even altered her look in public. She additionally informed police that she by no means responded to any of Lewis’ messages or posts.
The posts “really brought about Caitlin Clark to really feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, or threatened” and an implicit or specific menace additionally was made “with the intent to put Caitlin Clark in cheap worry of sexual battery,” prosecutors wrote within the Marion County Superior Court docket submitting.
Mears stated the FBI tracked the IP addresses of Lewis’ latest messages to a lodge in downtown Indianapolis in addition to the Indianapolis Public Library. Indianapolis police then made a welfare test on Lewis, in line with courtroom paperwork, and he informed officers that he was in “an imaginary relationship” with Clark and that he got here to Indianapolis on trip.
Police informed Lewis throughout the go to to “not put up issues like he has been posting … as a result of his posts may be perceived as threatening,” in line with the courtroom doc.
“It is an creativeness, fantasy kind factor and it is a joke, and it is nothing to do with threatening,” Lewis informed police, in line with the courtroom paperwork.
The messages to Clark continued after the preliminary go to by police.
“It takes plenty of braveness for girls to come back ahead in these instances, which is why many do not,” Mears stated. “In doing so, the sufferer is setting an instance for all girls who should dwell and work in Indy with out the specter of sexual violence.
“We commend Pacers Sports activities & Leisure, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Workplace for the swift and critical motion that led to this weekend’s arrest.”
In line with the Indianapolis Star, prosecutors have moved to ban Lewis from Hinkle Fieldhouse and Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Fever play at each arenas.
In December, a 40-year-old man from Oregon acquired a one-year suspended sentence and three years’ probation after pleading guilty to a second-degree charge following his arrest for stalking UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers.
The Related Press contributed to this report.