Global Courant 2023-05-23 12:03:16
An ex-con on parole for life in connection with the rape and murder of a 10-year-old girl in New York City in 1987 now faces new charges of assault again, despite his arrest last year.
Law enforcement sources told the New York Post that Charles Rowe, 56, was able to take advantage of New York’s “Less is More” Act — which makes it possible to avoid jail time — to commit even more crimes.
Despite being charged with alleged theft of a car in December 2022, Rowe was released. He is now charged with assaulting one woman and raping another, new court records show. Rowe was put behind bars earlier this month.
“Charles Rowe is the poster child for parole violation,” a law enforcement source told the New York Post. “He did time for one of the most heinous crimes I’ve seen in 40 years, and he’s robbing a car less than a year after being released.”
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An ex-convict on parole for life in connection with the rape and murder of a 10-year-old girl in New York City in 1987 was out on the streets after a new arrest last year and now faces new charges for a new assault. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Less is More” was signed in 2021 by New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul. It started last year.
“Thanks to the governor’s ‘Less is More’ it is almost impossible to violate anyone,” the source continues. “Lowering standards is responsible for fending off one woman from this monster and raping another woman in two heinous crimes where both women were threatened with murder.”
Rowe was initially convicted of raping and murdering a 10-year-old in her bedroom in 1987. Her relatives found her body around 1 a.m. on Christmas morning, court documents show.
He was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. But after nearly 35 years behind bars, he was paroled for life on January 19, 2022.
Rowe was said to be under close surveillance by the state, but in December of that same year, he allegedly stole a van from a U-Haul storage facility. He was slapped with felony grand larceny and other charges.
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Rowe was convicted of the murder of a 10-year-old girl and sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. He spent nearly 35 years behind bars before being released on January 19, 2022. (iStock)
The administrative judge has released Rowe without bail, pending a preliminary hearing in his case to revoke parole.
But Rowe did not appear for his final hearing on Jan. 12, and after again missing the scheduled Jan. 31 date, a DOCCS spokesperson told the New York Post. The hearing was once again moved to March 17.
On March 15 and April 12, Rowe also missed criminal court appearances in the pending stolen car case and warrants were issued for his arrest. He eventually returned to court.
Prosecutors allege that Rowe committed a few assaults and other crimes at the U-Haul facility.
On March 13, he allegedly raped a 69-year-old woman.
On April 25, he was taken back to the U-Haul facility, where he allegedly threatened and assaulted a 61-year-old woman.
Rowe faces new charges of threatening to kill two women. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
According to court documents, Rowe returned the next day and was caught on surveillance video breaking into the business.
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Rowe was arrested on May 13 and charged in connection with these crimes.
He was charged the next day with several charges, including first-degree rape, first-degree sexual assault, predatory assault, first- and second-degree robbery, possession of a weapon, burglary and petty larceny, according to court documents.
The judge in the case set bail at $250,000 in cash or $750,000 bail, the prosecution said Monday, according to the New York Post.
Rowe remains behind bars on Rikers Island pending a return to court on June 28.
