Man accused of stalking Caitlin Clark proclaims himself ‘guilty as charged’ in first court appearance

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A day after Michael Thomas Lewis was charged with stalking Indiana Fever star and WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark, the 55-year-old Texas man shouted “guilty charges filed” as soon as he sat in a courtroom Tuesday.

Lewis is accused of repeated and ongoing harassment of Clark, 22, beginning Dec. 16, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office wrote in a court filing.

WISH-TV of Indianapolis reported that Lewis behaved “very erratically” during his first court appearance and, at times, appeared to laugh and joke while noting that he had not taken his medication for his incarceration or when he lived out of his car.

Prosecutors said they were seeking a higher-than-standard bond because Lewis had traveled from his home in Texas to Indianapolis “with the intention of being in proximity to the victim.” Lewis was ordered held on $50,000 bail, and if bail is posted, he will be required to wear an ankle monitor and remain in Indiana.

The court also entered a not guilty plea on Lewis’s behalf, and Judge Angela Davis suggested Lewis “keep silent” in jail and only speak to his attorney.

Lewis was given a no-contact order and a stay order requested by prosecutors that prohibit him from being within 500 feet of either arena where the Fever play their home games.

His preliminary hearing will be held remotely on March 31.

In an article on X, Lewis said he repeatedly drove near Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Indiana Pacers’ arena where the Fever also play. In another, he said he had “one foot on a banana peel and the other on a criminal harassment charge.” Other messages to Clark were sexually explicit.

The social media posts “actually caused Caitlin Clark to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated or threatened” and an implied or explicit threat was also made “with the intent of placing Caitlin Clark in reasonable fear of assault.” sexual,” prosecutors wrote in the Marion. Filed in County Superior Court.

The FBI learned that the X account belonged to Lewis and that the messages were sent from IP addresses associated with a hotel and a public library in downtown Indianapolis.

Indianapolis police spoke with Lewis on Jan. 8 in his hotel room. He told police he was on vacation in Indianapolis. When asked why he was posting so many messages about Clark, Lewis replied, “It’s the exact same reason everyone posts messages,” according to court documents.

He told police he meant no harm and dreamed of having a relationship with Clark.

The Associated Press named Clark its Female Athlete of the Year for 2024. After leading Iowa to last year’s title national championship gameshe was the first pick in the WNBA draft and went on to win. rookie of the year honors in the league.