Over the past few months, Caitlin Clark says she has felt “terrorized, frightened, or intimidated” by a stalker who sent her endless amounts of direct messages. The 55-year-old Texas man, Michael Lewis, was finally arrested after he allegedly continued to send abusive threats and sexually violent messages to the WNBA phenom—even after police had warned him not to.
Court documents, along with what can be found on his social media, paint a harrowing picture of what Clark, and presumably many other public figures, are up against in this ultra-interconnective society.
Lewis referred to the whole situation as a “fantasy relationship” that changed him “for the better” in one message. He also DM’d her that he bought tickets behind the Indiana Fever’s bench to sit behind her.
Caitlin Clark’s Stalker Finally Arrested
Due to the overwhelming feelings she had towards this threat, as you can imagine, Clark told police she altered her public appearances and patterns of movement “due to fear for her safety.” She has never responded to one of his messages. Her fear was amplified when she learned he was in Indianapolis after traveling there from his home in Texas, which is when authorities first got involved this week.
The police tracked him through his IP address to an Indy hotel where they confronted him and warned him not to continue his messaging. Unfortunately, he didn’t listen. Lewis allegedly continued sending out posts about Clark, which led to the police circling back and arresting him. He is facing up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine according to ESPN.
“No matter how prominent a figure you are, this case shows that online harassment can quickly escalate to actual threats of violence,” said Marion County Prosecutor, Ryan Mears, in a statement. “It takes a lot of courage for women to come forward in these cases, which is why many don’t. In doing so, the victim is setting an example for all women who deserve to live and work in Indy without the threat of sexual violence.”
Clark rose to the national stage in college, where she helped lead Iowa to a national championship game appearance and became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer. She parlayed that success into a Rookie of the Year win this past season with the Fever.
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