Convicted of Harassing Caitlin Clark: Prison Sentence for a Texas Man
A 55-year-old man from Texas, who claimed to have an “imaginary relationship” with WNBA star Caitlin Clark, has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison. The sentence came after he pleaded guilty to harassment and stalking of the Indiana Fever player. Michael Lewis, a resident of Denton, Texas, reached an agreement with Marion County prosecutors, where he pleaded guilty to one felony count of stalking and one misdemeanor count of harassment. He will be given credit for the time he has spent in the Marion County Adult Detention Center since his arrest. In addition to the prison sentence, Lewis was ordered to stay away from Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Fever events, and events of the Indiana Pacers organization. He was also prohibited from any contact with Clark, 23, and will not have internet access during his sentence.The judge also recommended that Lewis, who claimed during Monday’s court proceedings that the end of the world was near, receive mental health treatment. “You can’t help yourself until you get help,” the judge told Lewis. Lewis was arrested on January 12th after authorities alleged he sent hundreds of “threats and sexually explicit messages” to Clark via X between December 12, 2024, and January 11, 2025. According to court documents, Lewis sent messages such as: “I’ve been driving around your house 3 times a day” and “But don’t call the law yet, the public can go through Gainbridge… also known as Caitlin’s Fieldhouse.” Another message said: “I’m getting tickets. I’ll sit behind the bench.” Other messages were of a sexually violent nature, according to court documents. The FBI traced the IP addresses of Lewis’s messages to a hotel in downtown Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Public Library. Indianapolis police then conducted a welfare check on Lewis, according to court documents, and he told officers that he had an “imaginary relationship” with Clark and had come to Indianapolis on vacation. The messages to Clark continued after the initial police visit. Clark, the first pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, has played only 13 games this season due to injuries and is currently out with a right groin strain.This resolution ensures that the defendant is held accountable for their threatening actions, the fear they instilled, and the disruption they caused. They will now spend the next two and a half years in the Department of Correction, and the victim will be able to have peace of mind while focusing on what is important to them.
Ryan Mears, Marion County Prosecutor
