Police have charged a man for allegedly sending multiple threatening and sexually explicit messages to WNBA star Kaitlin Clark via social media.

The man, Michael Lewis, 55, of Texas, was arrested Sunday at a hotel in Indianapolis, where Clark’s team, the Indiana Fever, is based.

Police said law enforcement officers discovered messages Mr Lewis sent Clark on X that allegedly contained threatening and sexually explicit messages.

Mr Lewis is due to appear in court on Tuesday morning and could face up to six years in prison and a $10,000 (£8,211) fine if convicted.

According to court documents, one message allegedly sent to Clark read: “@CaitlinClark22 drives around your house 3 times a day…but don’t seek legal action yet, the public can drive over the Gain Bridge…aka Caitlin’s Ballpark ”

Another message read: “I’m buying tickets. I’m sitting behind the bench.”

According to court documents, the messages were sent between December 16 and January 2.

Clark, the 2024 Women’s National Basketball Association Rookie of the Year, reported the information to police and said she feared for her safety.

The 22-year-old informed police of Lewis’ situation before he arrived in Indianapolis, sports network ESPN reported. She began changing her appearance in public out of concern for her safety.

Prosecutors said in court documents that the social media posts “made Caitlin Clark feel scared, intimidated, intimidated or threatened.”

Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said the FBI discovered Mr. Lewis after tracing the IP address of messages sent to a hotel in downtown Indianapolis.

The man told police his message was “an imaginary, fantasy type thing, just a joke and had nothing to do with a threat,” according to court documents.

“It takes a lot of courage for women to come forward in these cases, which is why many don’t,” Mills said in a news release Monday.

“In doing so, the victims set an example for all women who should live and work in Indy without the threat of sexual violence.”

The incident comes just weeks after a man from Oregon was arrested and charged with stalking and harassing women’s college basketball star Paige Bueckers.