A 55-year-old Texas man has been sentenced to more than 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to stalking Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark.
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Michael Lewis entered the plea during a hearing in Marion County. The sentence includes credit for time already served since his arrest in January. He has also been ordered to stay away from Clark, along with all Indiana Fever and Indiana Pacers games, events, and properties.
The hearing was interrupted several times due to Lewis' behavior, according to a report from WTHR's Mike Potter. Lewis told the court, "I want [Clark] to be safe," and added, "I never threatened her," before also making bizarre comments about the end of the world.
Authorities say Lewis sent Clark disturbing messages, some sexually violent, over several weeks beginning in mid-December. He also claimed to have driven past her home and by Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the Fever and Pacers play. The FBI traced the messages to Indianapolis, and Lewis was arrested at a downtown hotel on Jan. 12.
Clark told authorities she was so fearful that she began altering her appearance in public. Now in her second WNBA season, the former Iowa star has emerged as the league's most high-profile player. Injuries have limited her to 13 of Indiana's first 26 games this year.
"This resolution ensures that the defendant is held accountable for his threatening actions, the fear he instilled, and the disruption he caused," Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said. "He will now spend the next two and a half years in the Department of Correction and the victim will be able to have peace of mind while focusing on what matters to her."
