DALLAS — A North Texas man has been charged with stalking for allegedly sending WNBA star Caitlin Clark a series of sexually violent messages on social media, according to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.
Michael Lewis, 55, of Denton, Texas, was arrested on Sunday in Indianapolis and charged with one count of stalking, which a Level 5 felony in the state of Indiana.
Lewis allegedly traveled from Texas to Indianapolis and sent out the threats from a Hilton Garden Hotel in that city, according to officials. In an affidavit obtained by Spectrum News, Lewis sent tweets from his X account under the name “@Racerx2031” that included several sexually charged and violent messages to Clark.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office became aware of a “possible pattern of stalking” by Lewis toward Clark this month, according to the affidavit.
On Jan. 8., Indianapolis Metropolitan police conducted a welfare check at Lewis’ hotel room and questioned him about the tweets. Lewis claimed to be on vacation in Indianapolis and when questioned why he was making so many posts about Clark, he stated, “just the same reason everybody makes posts.”
Lewis also told officers that his posts were a “fantasy type thing” and a “joke.”
Officers told Lewis to stop making such posts, though he continued to send posts to Clark in the days after police contacted him, according to the affidavit.
Officials interviewed Clark on Saturday when she told officers that she "had been very fearful since learning of the messages.” Clark also told officers that she doesn’t know Lewis and has never responded to his message
Clark is currently a star player for the Indiana Fever after having a historical college career with the Iowa Hawkeyes.