A Chicago man has been sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to a hate crime against Hispanic victims during the city’s migratory crisis in late 2023.
Prosecutors claimed Levell Carter, 39, followed a 43-year-old woman home from a gas station in the 3900 block of West Roosevelt on November 15, 2023. The woman noticed she was being followed and alerted her boyfriend, who arrived outside their Lawndale house to confront Carter.
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Carter apparently went on a rage, yelling anti-Mexican and anti-Venezuelan obscenities. Prosecutors said he accused Venezuelans of “getting the money” before shouting:
“You f****** Mexican, I am going to come and blow your house down.”
“Go back to your country, you f****** Mexican.”
“I’m going to come back to kill these m*****f****** Mexicans.”
As the boyfriend turned to go back inside, Carter aimed his car at him, causing him to jump out of the way, according to prosecutors. Carter’s registration plate was captured on a surveillance camera, which led to his arrest.
Carter pled guilty to one count of hate crime in exchange for a 20-month sentence from Judge Lakshmi Jha, court documents show. Prosecutors dropped aggravated assault and a second hate crime accusation. With the state’s customary 50% sentence reduction and other credits, he is anticipated to be released in late November.
According to court records, Carter had prior convictions in Illinois, including a stolen car case in 2021 and an aggravated battery with a handgun in 2008.
