Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark’s economic impact on Indy and WNBA
Dr. Ryan Brewer, associate professor of finance at Indiana University Columbus, talks Indiana Fever Star Caitlin Clark’s economic impact.
A Texas man accused of stalking Caitlin Clark was arrested in Indianapolis this weekend after police said he sent numerous threats and sexually explicit messages to the Indiana Fever player, according to prosecutors.
Michael Lewis, 55, of Denton, a suburb of Dallas, was charged with stalking, a low-level felony, after an investigation revealed he sent over a dozen messages on X (formerly Twitter) to Clark, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office said Monday.
An arrest affidavit detailing the case shows over 15 messages from Lewis’ X account sent to Clark beginning December 16 through mid-January. Many of the messages were sexually explicit and sometimes violent.
“Got banned from caitbridge (sic). Im sorry. Bu maybe I go to ur road games..its ok right?” One of the posts read, according to the affidavit.
Federal investigators tracked the messages from IP addresses belonging to a hotel in the 100 block of West Market Street, roughly a mile from where the Fever play, and another from the Indianapolis downtown library.
“Lewis’s presence in Indianapolis was especially concerning given that he is a Texas resident,” detectives said in the affidavit.
Indianapolis police said they confronted Lewis about the messages at the hotel on Jan. 8, to which Lewis responded he sent them “just the same reason everybody makes posts.” He at first denied the threatening posts, but then added it “was just an imaginary relationship.”
The messages continued after the police visit, the affidavit states.
Clark told police she has been fearful since learning about the messages and even altered her public appearances and movement because of them.
Lewis was arrested on Sunday, Jan. 12. If convicted, he faces one to six years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
“No matter how prominent a figure you are, this case shows that online harassment can quickly escalate to actual threats of physical violence,” Prosecutor Ryan Mears said. “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.”
Prosecutors have filed an order banning Lewis from Hinkle Fieldhouse and Gainbridge Fieldhouse where the Fever regularly play.
The prosecutor’s office has requested a higher-than-usual bond for Lewis, whose first court appearance is set for Tuesday.
Contact IndyStar reporter Sarah Nelson at sarah.nelson@indystar.com
