
A Texas man has been charged with felony stalking after he repeatedly harassed WNBA star Caitlin Clark with sexually explicit messages and traveled to Indiana to be near her. Michael Thomas Lewis, 55, allegedly engaged in this behavior between December 16, 2024, and January 11, 2025, sending numerous unsettling messages to Clark’s X (formerly Twitter) account. These messages, some of which were sexually explicit, included claims that he had driven by the arena where Clark plays for the Indiana Fever, and even described how he had “one foot on a banana peel and the other on a stalking charge.”
The harassment led Clark to feel terrified and unsafe, prompting her to change her public routines and appearances to avoid further contact with Lewis. Prosecutors assert that Lewis’s messages were designed to make Clark fear for her safety, potentially leading to a threat of sexual battery. The FBI traced the online communications back to Lewis’s whereabouts at an Indianapolis hotel and library, where he was questioned by police on January 8. Lewis, however, claimed he had no harmful intentions, dismissing his actions as a “fantasy type thing” and “a joke” with no real threat behind them.
Despite his defense, prosecutors argue that Lewis’s repeated travels from Texas to Indianapolis and his proximity to Clark suggest he intended to be physically close to her. Authorities have requested a higher bond for Lewis, given the serious nature of his actions. They also aim to impose a stay-away order to prevent him from going near Clark’s team’s venues in the future.
The case highlights the potential dangers of online harassment escalating into physical threats. As one of the most prominent athletes in women’s basketball, Caitlin Clark’s experience serves as a reminder of the risks public figures face from obsessive individuals. The incident has drawn attention to the importance of taking online threats seriously and ensuring the safety of public figures in an increasingly connected world.