Man sentenced to 18 years for rape on CTA train, attack on officer

A 19-year-old man will spend 18 years in prison for raping a woman aboard a CTA Blue Line train on the Northwest Side and battering a correctional officer while in custody, according to court records.

Tyshawn Robinson was sentenced Thursday by Judge Charles Burns after pleading guilty to aggravated criminal sexual assault during the commission of another felony. He was 17 at the time of the April 29, 2024, attack, but was charged as an adult.

CTA surveillance video showed Robinson and the 38-year-old victim were riding the same train when Robinson attempted to touch her near the Addison station around midnight, officials said.

Tyshawn Robinson (Cook County Sheriff’s Office)

The woman moved away, but Robinson followed her, eventually grabbing her and pulling her onto his lap, according to a detention filing. When she tried to break free, Robinson put her in a chokehold with his arm and forearm, preventing her escape, prosecutors said.

Robinson forced the woman over a seat in the car and sexually assaulted her at least twice as she fought back, prosecutors alleged. Officials described the attack as a “prolonged” assault that occurred in front of witnesses. He fled when the train’s operator entered the car. Chicago police found him nearby a short time later.

Burns sentenced Robinson to 15 years for the sexual assault and ordered him to register as a sex offender and comply with other conditions. The judge also ordered Robinson to serve a consecutive three-year sentence for aggravated battery of a peace officer, a charge Robinson picked up while in custody, according to court records.

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CWBChicago was created in 2013 by five residents of Wrigleyville and Boystown who had grown disheartened with inaccurate information that was being provided at local Community Policing (CAPS) meetings. Our coverage area has expanded since then to cover Lincoln Park, River North, The Loop, Uptown, and other North Side Areas. But our mission remains unchanged: To provide original public safety reporting with better context and greater detail than mainstream media outlets. Our editorial email address is [email protected]