Man arrested in Indiana for stalking Caitlin Clark: NPR

Authorities in Indiana arrested a man for stalking after he allegedly sent harassing messages to basketball star Caitlin Clark and then traveled to Indianapolis to try to see her, prosecutors say.

The 55-year-old man, a Texas resident identified by prosecutors as Michael Thomas Lewis, sent messages to Clark on the social networking site ‘ asked in Indianapolis. He was arrested Sunday in Indiana, records show.

The messages — many of which were sexually explicit, others detailing his attempts to see her in person — were concerning enough to Clark that she “altered her public appearances and movements out of fear for her safety,” according to court filings. charges released Monday by the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.

“No matter what your personality, this case shows that online harassment can quickly escalate into actual threats of physical violence,” Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement. “It takes a lot of courage for women to come forward in these cases, and that’s why many don’t. In doing so, the victim sets an example for all women who deserve to live and work in Indy without being threatened with sexual violence.

The felony charge, officially known as “stalking,” carries a prison sentence of one to six years and a fine of up to $10,000.

The man claimed it was an “imaginary relationship.”

The nature of Lewis’ messages caught the attention of the FBI, according to court records. An investigation revealed that he sent the most recent communications from an Indianapolis public library and a hotel in the city’s downtown area, about a half-mile from the basketball arena where the team plays. Clark, the Indiana Fever, during the WNBA season.

“I drive around your house 3 times a day,” Lewis wrote in a message documented by authorities. “But don’t call the law yet, the public is allowed to drive near Gainbridge (Fieldhouse)… aka Caitlin’s Fieldhouse.”

His presence in Indianapolis worried police, prosecutors said. Agents visited Lewis in his hotel room, where he told them he was in Indianapolis for vacation.

“When asked about the messages of a (threatening) nature, Lewis said it wasn’t him. Lewis claimed it was just an imaginary relationship,” said Sgt. Darren Stonehouse wrote in a police affidavit.

Lewis was banned from the arena, but he continued to harass Clark, according to prosecutors. “I was banned from (the arena). I’m sorry. But maybe I go to your road games…that’s okay, right?” he wrote, according to authorities.

A preliminary hearing date has been set for Tuesday morning.

Clark is one of the most famous athletes in the United States, male or female. Her stardom began at the University of Iowa and followed her to the WNBA, where she played her rookie season last year.

Women in sport are regularly subjected to intense online harassment, particularly female basketball players.

Players at last year’s NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament received ‘the most brutal, disturbing and mean-spirited comments’ in all of college sports, NCAA president says , Charlie Baker, to a Senate committee last month.

“We’ve talked to a lot of people who have played in these tournaments, and they’ve said that the things that come up on their DMs are much worse than what we see on their public account,” Baker said.