A Texas man who was harassing WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark online has been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison.
Michael Lewis was arrested in January in Indianapolis, a mile away from where Clark's team, the Indiana Fever, plays their matches.
Authorities said that Lewis sent hundreds of threatening and sexually explicit messages to the 23-year-old over the course of a month. Clark told police she had to change her appearance in public due to fear.
The 55-year-old denied the posts being threatening, noting that he was writing them for "just the same reason everybody makes posts." He also told police that he had "an imaginary relationship" with Clark.
During a contentious court hearing on Monday, July 28, Lewis told the judge that he wanted Clark to "be safe" and aimed to point out holes in her security.
The judge in the case warned that his remarks could breach his plea bargain with prosecutors. Lewis had been facing up to six years in prison for harassment and stalking.
Officials praised Clark for coming forward with her concerns about the posts, as Prosecutor Ryan Mears shared after the sentencing, "No matter how prominent a figure you are, this case shows that online harassment can quickly escalate to actual threats of physical violence."
"It takes a lot of courage for women to come forward in these cases, which is why many don't," he added.
Lewis was ordered to have no contact with Clark and not to use the internet during his prison term, along with that, he was directed to keep his distance from all of Fever's games.
