Caitlin Clark gets justice as 'imaginary relationship' stalker given prison time

The 55-year-old man who believed he was in an "imaginary" relationship with Caitlin Clark was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison on Monday, July 28 after pleading guilty to both a felony count of stalking and a misdemeanor count of harassment.

Michael Lewis is also banned from all Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Fever events and Indiana Pacers organization events and will not be allowed internet access while serving his sentence.

As reported by KSAT.com, he was arrested on January 12 after authorities found he sent hundreds of threatening messages to Clark between December 12, 2024, and January 11, 2025. The messages were sent from a hotel in downtown Indianapolis, as well as from the city's public library.

Clark's stalker sentence highlights rarely discussed issue for Fever star

Clark hasn't spoken about the situation with Lewis, though she was undoubtedly extremely aware of the messages and the threat he posed. She also isn't the only player in the league who has dealt with threats and disparaging comments from supposed fans, often delivered via social media.

In October 2024, DiJonai Carrington opened up about threats she's received online and in person. She told Fox the threats are "unfortunate" and that she worries that as the league continues to grow, "it’s going to continue to happen because some people are just crazy." Such people need to be held "accountable," she added, before noting that players may have to take more precautions to protect themselves.

Carrington wasn't the only player who spoke to the outlet about the threats they've received. Breanna Stewart noted that she and her wife, Marta Xargay, were on the receiving end of anonymous emails after Game 1 of the playoffs last year, and Aliyah Boston described the circumstances as "super scary."

The situation also calls to mind an interaction Kelsey Plum had with fans waiting outside the Sparks' hotel in June. The fans mentioned they saw the team's bus parked nearby and decided to wait to see if the players would come out.

"Don't y'all find that a little weird? Low key, like, low key? Come on? I'm really turned off right now," Plum said in reply. While some fans seemed offended by her response, it's more than understandable in the context of player safety. It's one thing to wait for an athlete outside a stadium or arena ahead of or after a game, but it's another to linger outside a hotel room (or worse, someone's home).