Following the recent arrest of a 55-year-old Texas man, Michael Thomas Lewis, on charges of felony stalking against WNBA rookie of the year Caitlin Clark, the case took a significant turn during Lewis' court appearance. Lewis immediately declared his guilt upon sitting down in the courtroom, acknowledging the accusations brought against him by the Marion County prosecutor’s office.
The alleged harassment of the 22-year-old Clark reportedly began on December 16, with Lewis accused of persistent and troubling behavior towards the basketball star. Reports from WISH-TV of Indianapolis described Lewis as displaying erratic conduct during his initial court appearance, at times appearing jovial and admitting to not taking his medication while in custody or living out of his car.
Prosecutors sought a bond higher than the standard due to Lewis traveling from Texas to Indianapolis with the apparent intent of being in close proximity to the victim. As a result, Lewis was ordered to be held on a $50,000 bond, with additional conditions including wearing an ankle monitor and remaining in Indiana if the bond is posted.
During the court proceedings, a not guilty plea was entered on Lewis' behalf, and Judge Angela Davis advised him to maintain silence in jail and communicate solely with his attorney. Lewis was also issued a no-contact order and a stay-away order preventing him from being within 500 feet of the arenas where the Indiana Fever play their home games.
Further details emerged from social media posts attributed to Lewis, where he admitted to driving by Gainbridge Fieldhouse and made sexually explicit comments directed at Clark. These posts reportedly caused Clark to feel terrorized and threatened, prompting prosecutors to highlight the implicit or explicit threats made towards her.
The FBI identified Lewis as the owner of the social media account from which the messages were sent, linking them to IP addresses associated with an Indianapolis hotel and public library. Indianapolis police engaged with Lewis on January 8 at his hotel room, where he claimed to be in the city on vacation and expressed his fantasies about a relationship with Clark.
Clark, who was named Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press for 2024, has garnered significant recognition for her achievements in basketball, including leading Iowa to the national championship game and securing the top pick in the WNBA draft, ultimately winning rookie of the year honors in the league.
