A 55-year-old Texas man was arrested on a felony stalking cost in Indianapolis on Sunday after he allegedly despatched threats and sexually violent messages to Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark through social media, in response to courtroom paperwork.
Police data present that Michael Lewis, of Denton, Texas, was charged with a Level 5 felony after he was arrested at a resort in Indianapolis. He is scheduled to seem in courtroom Tuesday morning.
Lewis may withstand six years in jail and a $10,000 nice.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears mentioned the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department first spoke to Lewis on Wednesday about his alleged messages to Clark on X, previously referred to as Twitter, from Dec. 16 by means of Jan. 2.
“Been driving round your home 3x a day,” Lewis messaged to Clark, in response to courtroom paperwork. “But do not name the regulation simply but, the publc is allowed to drive by gainbridge..aka Caitlin’s Fieldhouse.”
“I’m getting tickets. I’m sitting behind the bench,” learn one other message.
“They mentioned I used to be sending threatening texts..however the one although on my thoughts was….CAITLIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNN,” learn one other.
Other messages had been sexually violent, in response to courtroom paperwork.
Clark instructed police she feared for her security — even earlier than Lewis arrived in Indianapolis — and had even altered her look in public. She additionally instructed police that she by no means responded to any of Lewis’ messages or posts.
Mears mentioned the FBI tracked the IP addresses of Lewis’ latest messages to a resort in downtown Indianapolis in addition to the Indianapolis Public Library. Indianapolis police then made a welfare verify on Lewis, in response to courtroom paperwork, and he instructed officers that he was in “an imaginary relationship” with Clark and that he got here to Indianapolis on trip.
Police instructed Lewis throughout the go to to “not publish issues like he has been posting … as a result of his posts might be perceived as threatening,” in response to the courtroom doc.
The messages to Clark continued after the preliminary go to by police.
“It takes numerous braveness for girls to return ahead in these instances, which is why many do not,” Mears mentioned. “In doing so, the sufferer is setting an instance for all ladies who should reside and work in Indy with out the specter of sexual violence.
“We commend Pacers Sports & Entertainment, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office for the swift and critical motion that led to this weekend’s arrest.”
According to the Indianapolis Star, prosecutors have moved to ban Lewis from Hinkle Fieldhouse and Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Fever play at each arenas.
In December, a 40-year-old man from Oregon obtained a one-year suspended sentence and three years’ probation after pleading guilty to a second-degree charge following his arrest for stalking UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers.
