Texas man charged with sending sexually suggestive, threatening messages to WNBA star Caitlin Clark

AUSTIN, Texas - A Texas man is facing time behind bars after police said he sent numerous sexually suggestive and threatening messages to WNBA star Caitlin Clark. 

58-year-old Michael Lewis is charged with felony stalking.

What we know:

Lewis, of Denton, is reportedly the man behind sexually violent and harassing messages sent to Clark. Some of the messages include claims he was driving around her home.

Court documents said when the FBI traced Lewis’ messages, they discovered he was in Indianapolis, which police said was especially concerning. 

Michael Lewis

MORE INFO ON HIS ARREST: Texas man charged with stalking WNBA star Caitlin Clark

In January, law enforcement showed up at the hotel. Lewis told officers he was in Indianapolis from Texas on vacation. He then admitted to having an "imaginary relationship" with Clark.

Clark currently plays for the Indiana Fever, which is based in Indianapolis.

Lewis has a lengthy criminal history, including serving time in prison for assault. Court records also revealed he was convicted of stalking back in 2018.

What they're saying:

"Just because it is on the internet doesn't mean there aren't real world consequences," Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said.

Clark told police she feared for her safety and had even changed her public appearance once learning about Lewis.

"One of the things we are trying to figure out here is what is the scope of what we are dealing with here. It is our goal to recover the phones used in this process to see if there are direct messages we aren't aware of at this point," Mears said.

What's next:

If convicted, Lewis could be sentenced to one to six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

What do I do if I have a stalker?

Big picture view:

Heather Bellino of the Texas Advocacy Project said if you have a stalker, take it seriously.

"Get support, get resources, safety plan, and you may have to change some of your behaviors and patterns for a period of time until you can get that long term safety," Bellino said.

It’s estimated one in three people has been stalked at some point in their life.

"You always feel like you're looking over your shoulder and somebody is watching you," Bellino said. "They're showing up, there's intimidation, there's scare tactics, and it just doesn't make sense."

Bellino said getting a protective order can help keep someone safe.

"Stalking can escalate quite quickly, so reaching out for help as soon as you get that feeling is very important," Bellino said.