Michael Lewis, a 55-year-old man from Texas, was sentenced to more than 18 months in prison Monday after pleading guilty to stalking and harassing WNBA star Caitlin Clark.
Lewis, a native of Denton, Texas, was arrested on Jan. 12 at a hotel in Indianapolis and charged with felony stalking after sending threatening and sexually explicit messages to Clark on social media.
According to WTHR 13 in Indianapolis, Lewis was ordered to "avoid any contact with Clark and to stay away from any Fever or Pacers games, events or properties." He was credited for time served at the Marion County Adult Detention Center since his arrest in January.
In his initial messages to Clark in January, Lewis said that he had been driving by her home multiple times per day and indicated that he planned to drive by Gainsbridge Fieldhouse as well, according to court documents. Those messages led Clark to contact police and inform them she feared for her safety.
Lewis reportedly displayed erratic behavior in the courtroom, and according to WTHR, the judge had to stop proceedings multiple times to warn him over his behavior. The judge accepted Lewis's plea deal and ordered him not to use the internet during his sentencing and also recommended mental health treatment.
"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 after the sentencing was handed down, via WTHR.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Stalking, Harassing Caitlin Clark.
