Police have released video showing the initial encounter between FBI agents and the man who was later convicted of stalking Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark.
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Michael Lewis, 55, of Texas, was sentenced last month to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to stalking and harassing Clark. Authorities said he had sent a series of disturbing and sexually violent messages to the 23-year-old guard from mid-December into early January.
Body camera footage obtained Friday by TMZ shows FBI agents confronting Lewis at his downtown Indianapolis hotel on Jan. 8. Lewis told the agents he was in town "for vacation." He acknowledged sending messages to Clark but described it as "just an imaginary relationship."
"That's all it is. It doesn't involve any threats," Lewis said on the video. "Just a play fun thing. That's all it is."
Lewis allowed officers into his room to show that he had no weapons or dangerous items. The interview ended with authorities warning him to stop contacting Clark.
#Exclusive 🚨 The man convicted of stalking Caitlin Clark told FBI agents just days before his arrest that he had nothing more than “an imaginary relationship” with the WNBA superstar. 🔗 For full video! https://t.co/gFXchcZ3Im pic.twitter.com/Hx3MiSMsIl
— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) August 22, 2025
Four days later, Lewis was arrested after continuing to send her messages. Prosecutors said the behavior went beyond harmless correspondence, calling it harassment that placed Clark at risk.
At sentencing, Lewis maintained he never threatened Clark and claimed he was trying to educate her on the importance of being safe. The court nonetheless handed down an 18-month sentence, with credit for time already served.
Clark, in her second WNBA season, has been sidelined since mid-June with a groin injury. In 13 games prior to the setback, she averaged 16.5 points, 8.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game.
For Clark, it has been an unwelcome storyline during a season in which her on-court presence has already drawn unprecedented attention for the Fever and the league.
