55-year-old Michael Thomas Lewis, the man accused of stalking WNBA star Caitlin Clark, was back in court on Tuesday. This story is just one of many, dealing with crimes against pro athletes, that have flooded the news over the past few years. From stalking to burglaries to kidnapping attempts, athletes have had to defend against it all, just for being in the public eye due to their athletic prowess. Here is a look at some of the stories, commonalities, and causes of this trend, as well as what athletes and you can do to fight back.
Lewis, during his initial court hearing in January, blurted out “Guilty as charged!” upon entering the courtroom. The judge then ordered a mental health evaluation before accepting a plea. At today’s hearing, Lewis wanted to make a statement early on in the proceedings, but the judge convinced him to speak to a court-appointed attorney first. Lewis’s attorney convinced him not to speak. Lewis has neither denied nor hidden what he did, nor has he shown remorse.
The Texas man was apprehended in an Indianapolis hotel room after he had posted multiple threatening, sexually explicit, and violent messages to Caitlin Clark on social media. He is currently in custody and unable to post his $50,000 bail. He faces up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Lewis will return to court on July 28.
2025 WNBA overall number one draft pick, Paige Bueckers, dealt with similar issues. While in college at the University of Connecticut, Bueckers and U-Conn’s Communications Department received rambling messages from 40-year-old Robert Cole Parmalee about how he was going to propose and marry the now 23-year-old basketball star. Parmalee had multiple social media accounts posting about his intentions and even included a fake wedding invitation and pictures of Parmalee with a ring.
Parmalee, an Oregon resident, was arrested by Connecticut State Police while walking along a highway near Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks. Parmalee said he was on his way to see Bueckers. Parmalee was charged with breach of peace, electronic stalking, and harassment. Last December, he pleaded guilty and was given a one-year suspended sentence and three years’ probation. Parmalee was barred from the state of Connecticut for three years and banned from the U-Conn campuses and all WNBA facilities. He was also ordered to complete mental health treatment in his home state.
Just last week, another stalker was arrested, this one at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. A podcaster at the WWE PC reported that the suspect was arrested and multiple bags of evidence were collected. The arrest was made at the behest of WWE officials during a taping of an episode of NXT and the subsequent Evolve tapings that followed. The arrest was made by law enforcement officials who were not part of the local police department, suggesting a potential federal-level investigation.
The stalker was believed to be after Liv Morgan, a wrestler assigned to WWE’s Raw brand. Morgan, currently one-half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, was not believed to have been at the Performance Center at the time and appears not to have been harmed. No further details have been released yet, as the investigation is ongoing.
There were reports of a second arrest at the Performance Center earlier in the day. That arrest has now been confirmed and was unrelated to the Liv Morgan matter. The arrest of 41-year-old Shawn Chan was related to an outstanding burglary warrant.
Just a couple of days ago, 21-year-old Earl Riley IV was arrested in conjunction with an investigation into a string of Seattle-area burglaries. Those burglaries targeted the homes of MLB stars Blake Snell, Luis Castillo, and Julio Rodriguez. The break in the case came when an attempt was made to break into the house of former NFL star Richard Sherman. Sherman and his family were at home, and security footage revealed an SUV believed to have been used in the other burglaries.
Riley is believed to be the leader of the crime ring, and investigators are working to identify the other members. He faces four counts of residential burglary, as well as robbery charges in connection with the crimes. The investigation is ongoing.
Seven Chilean nationals were charged in connection to burglaries of NFL stars Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Burrow, as well as NBA star Bobby Portis Jr. Reports estimate that over $2 million worth of property was stolen during this crime spree that took place between October and December of last year. Due to a federal investigation, a lot about this case has not been released yet.
Federal officials believe that organized transnational crime rings are orchestrating these attacks. With athletic schedules readily available to the public, all athletes are at risk while participating in their activities. The FBI recently sent warnings to the NFL and NBA that criminal gangs conduct extensive surveillance leading up to these types of robberies. The warnings also stated that these groups bypass alarm systems, use Wi-Fi jammers, cover security cameras, and hide their identities.
Investigators believe that these cases may be linked to other cases from the same timeframe. Break-ins at the residences of Luka Dončić, Tyler Seguin, Mike Conley Jr., and Dak Prescott’s fiancée may also be connected to this crime ring.
Two years ago, 24-year-old Phillip A. Thomas II was sentenced to 15 years in prison for aggravated stalking with a weapon, attempted armed kidnapping, and armed burglary. The target was pro wrestler Sonya Deville (real name Daria Berenato). Thomas broke into the former WWE star’s home around 3 a.m. after waiting for hours for the wrestler to go to bed. Deville’s security system went off, and she and a guest fled the home while calling 911.
Police arrived and caught Thomas still in the home with a knife, mace, duct tape, and zip ties. Thomas admitted to planning for eight months to kidnap and hold Deville hostage. The two had never met, but Thomas had stalked her on social media for years. Deville and her guest, luckily, escaped unharmed.
A few years back, WWE superstar Seth Rollins was attacked following a segment in the ring with fellow wrestler Finn Balor at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Rollins (real name Colby Lopez) was walking up the ramp to go backstage when 24-year-old Brooklyn resident Elisah Spencer attacked him. Spencer left his seat, jumped the barricade, and tackled Rollins at full speed. Rollins fought off the attacker long enough for security and WWE staff to restrain him and then arrest him by the police. Rollins was lucky to escape with only a swollen lip.
There is a long history of attacks on pro wrestlers at live events. In 2019, Bret Hart was attacked during the Hart Foundation’s WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony by an amateur MMA fighter. Security and other wrestlers subdued the attacker, Zachary Madson, and despite minor injuries, Hart continued with his speech. The late Eddie Guerrero was knocked off a ladder during a ladder match live on WWE’s Monday Night Raw. Guerrero was able to leap safely to the ground when a fan entered the ring and toppled the ladder he had climbed. Guerrero proceeded to punch the attacker before security intervened. The list goes on and on.
Many factors lead to these types of crimes against pro athletes and other high-profile public figures like politicians, actors, musicians, and millionaire businesspeople. First of all, this nation has a severe mental health crisis. This has been talked about for years, but seemingly, nothing is being done about it. It is talked about on the news every time someone shoots up a school, a mall, or a mosque. It is talked about on the news whenever someone famous commits suicide. It is occasionally discussed in the halls of Congress, but nothing ever comes of it.
This isn’t just an issue with public figures. This issue is eating up our schools and workplaces. It is a growing epidemic spreading across our nation. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but at least I can spread awareness here, in the hope that someday soon, those with the power to do so can try to address it.
Another factor, and a significant commonality in many of these crimes, is a perceived class and demographic warfare that today’s political climate (not just in the U.S.) has stoked. Too many people have become convinced that those of higher or lower economic standing are the enemy, or that one demographic of people is out to get another. The rich and powerful are trying to keep the poor and middle class down. The poor and middle class are attempting to rise and overthrow the wealthy. I deserve what they have. That group of people is coming for your jobs. They think they are better than you.
These are all themes that are being played upon in today’s volatile political environment. People today seem to be constantly trying to convince others that other people are against them to gain some political leverage. It has swayed elections, and it has vilified athletes, entertainers, corporations, religions, and political parties. It is why so many people resent famous people.
Successful people are often vilified for being good at what they do and making a lot of money doing it. What frequently gets overlooked is how many successful people give back and how those successful individuals are just normal people, like you and me. They have families just like you. They have communities that they are a part of, just like you. Don’t hate them because someone tells you to. Don’t hate them because you perceive that they believe they are better than you. Ask someone famous if they think they are better than you. In their craft, maybe they are, but most would admit that, as people, they struggle just like everyone else.
Finally, it is the conversation that starts an end to all of this. It is a person sharing their stories of hardship and success. It is the political left and right meeting in the middle. It is neighbors talking to neighbors regardless of their race, gender, political affiliation, religion, or sexual preference. Start a friendly conversation with those around you, and you will see that we all have a lot more in common than you think. Maybe you will find that sports and entertainment can bring you together. Perhaps you will discover that you share a love for the Cubs, Taylor Swift, or Bruce Willis movies. Choose to find common ground, not division.
Until this happens, these athletes and other public figures are forced to buy high-tech security systems. They are hiring security guards to protect their homes and families. They are posting rewards for info leading to arrests. Many have to make frequent choices between spending time meeting with fans and giving back to their communities, or hiding themselves away from the public eye for their safety.
If you do not want to live like that, why would you want that for them? It is okay to hate that someone hit a game-winning three-pointer or home run to beat your favorite team, but it is not OK to hate that person for being able to do it. It certainly isn’t okay to act on that hate. Solutions to all of these problems start within all of us. We all need to be to others the person that we would want others to be to us.
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