Authorities Traced Man Charged With Stalking Caitlin Clark to Indianapolis by X Posts

The FBI needed to work with X in order to arrest the man who was allegedly stalking Caitlin Clark.
Nov 30, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark attends the game between the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Nov 30, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark attends the game between the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

It was reported on Monday morning by Matt Christy of FOX 59, that a 55-year-old man from Texas named Michael Lewis was arrested in Indianapolis after he, "sent sexually violent messages from his X account to Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and then drove to Indianapolis".

Sarah Nelson of the Indianapolis Star also released an article that added, "If convicted, Lewis faces one to six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000."

Nelson also included in her article that, "Officials said detectives learned the messages were sent from an IP address in Indianapolis, specifically a hotel Lewis was staying at in the 100 block of North Market Street." However, how officials became aware of the X posts was included in a January 13 article from Des Bieler of The Washington Post.

"Lewis was interviewed by police Wednesday at an Indianapolis hotel, per the affidavit, after the FBI sent an emergency request to X for access to his account," Bieler wrote.

"It was said to have been linked directly to Lewis, with recent messages coming from an IP address at a Hilton hotel in downtown Indianapolis. The hotel is a few blocks from Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the Fever practices and plays."

In other words, it appears that X had to be enlisted in order for the authorities to do what was necessary to locate and then eventually arrest the man.

The arrest reportedly occurred after Lewis was warned about the nature of his posts and then continued sending them.

Thankfully, the arrest was made before Clark was put into any danger. Although the aforementioned report from the Indianapolis Star asserts that she has been shaken up over this situation in recent weeks, even to the point of her feeling the need to alter, "her public appearances and movement because of them."

Hopefully justice is served in short order.


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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.