Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson got called out about a violent rape and assault by a Nicaraguan migrant in his city while defending criminal illegals against the Trump administration.
The suspect, Leyter Arauz-Medina, remains behind bars for the brutal attack and rape of the 54-year-old woman in Chicago’s Belmont Cragin neighborhood in late August.
Arauz-Medina, 21, allegedly ran out of Blackhawk Park, grabbed the woman by the hair, and dragged her screaming across the street into an alley. After being detained, Arauz-Medina gave a detailed admission of the attack, prosecutors said.
The victim tried to fight back but was knocked unconscious, then sought help from a passing motorist who drove off. She walked—injured and naked—to a nearby food truck before receiving help.
Veteran Chicago reporter William Kelly confronted the mayor during a press conference earlier this week, saying, “The real Chicagoans I talk to, mostly black and brown actually, tell me you don’t seem to know the difference between illegal aliens and real Chicago citizens, they feel you are siding with the illegal aliens over them in their communities.”
Kelly posted the exchange on his X account, adding his follow up question infuriated Johnson, who refused to answer, as his staff tried to shut Kelly down.
⚡ RAW VIDEO: “Answer as a Man” — Kelly Confronts Mayor Johnson ⚡
At today’s presser, I asked Mayor Johnson what real Chicagoans are asking: how can you call law enforcement “a sickness” while you hide behind 150 sworn CPD officers? And if you and your wife Stacey were ever… pic.twitter.com/SRETfruM7A
— Reporter William J. Kelly #thatreporter (@Williamjkelly) October 7, 2025
“If that had been your wife, Stacie, would you want ICE to deport that illegal alien? Answer the question as a man, not as a mayor, as a man,” Kelly said.
Details of the violent attack and a recent detention hearing were first reported by CWB Chicago after obtaining court proceeding transcripts.
Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Pekara laid out details of the attack to Judge Antara Nath Rivera. The assault occurred around 3 a.m. on Aug. 31, as the woman walked in the 2300 block of North Lavergne Avenue, prosecutors said.
As she approached her building and took out her keys, Medina allegedly ran toward her from the park and grabbed her by her hair, pulling her to the ground, WGN-TV 9 News reported. Arauz-Medina lives less than half a mile from the park, police said.
Surveillance video captured much of the attack, which reportedly shows Arauz-Medina pulling the woman to the ground and forcing her behind a dumpster, according to a detention proffer.
“After strangling her, he then grabbed her by the hair with both of his hands and repeatedly slammed the back of her head into the concrete, causing her to lose consciousness,” Pekara told the judge during the hearing.
The woman temporarily regained consciousness and found Arauz-Medina on top of her with his private part out, Pekara said. She fought back, managing to kick him in the groin, but he allegedly threw her down again and assaulted her further.
Pekara said a passing motorist interrupted the attack, prompting Arauz-Medina to flee.
“The victim sought help from that car, but it drove off,” Pekara continued. “She then walked down Fullerton still completely naked, seeking help, ultimately coming upon a food truck that was still open.”
Staff at Mexican restaurant El Azteca said the victim ran into their truck outside, where one worker was finishing up for the night. They said the woman was distraught and explained what happened.
A worker told WGN-TV the person inside the food truck called 911 and another worker came outside with a towel to wrap around the victim.
Police responded and found her bruised and bleeding. The victim had visible bruising to her knees, back, and arms and described her attacker in detail.
Officers also returned to the spot where the assault happened and found the victim’s belongings, including her clothes and purse, along with male clothing.
CWB reported they located Arauz-Medina nearby, based on the victim’s description of the attacker’s unique hairstyle—which was dyed blonde on the top. He also has several neck tattoos.
Arauz-Medina attempted to flee but was detained. Upon searching him, officers allegedly recovered cocaine from his pockets and some of the victim’s clothing.
After Arauz-Medina was caught, a judge denied him pre-trial release at a detention hearing on Sept. 2.
Pekara said Arauz-Medina later admitted to the assault and described the attack in detail to investigators.
“He described that he felt like he wanted to grab her and “do a bunch of other things,” according to the detention proffer.
Judge Rivera granted the state’s detention petition.
“The defendant poses a threat to all females in the community,” she said from the bench. “He poses a threat to this victim … This could have happened anywhere in the city of Chicago, especially since the defendant ingested cocaine, which he says made him do this.”
According to Assistant Public Defender Erin Freeman, Arauz-Medina lived with relatives since moving from Nicaragua three years ago and worked full-time in roofing. News reports did not detail his immigration status.
