Child killer, rapist out on parole in New York charged with sexual assault of elderly woman after Kathy Hochul signed ‘less is more’ law in 2021

Rowe has been described as the "poster child for parole violation," with his story highlighting the implications of New York Governor Kathy Hochul's Less Is More Act, which makes it harder to send criminals back to jail for violating their parole.

According to the New York Post, Rowe allegedly raped the 69-year-old victim on March 13 outside the same U-Haul storage facility he was accused of stealing a van from in December 2022. "If you don't do what I want I am going to kill you," Rowe allegedly told the woman, before raping her and fleeing the scene.

Just over a month later, he returned to the facility and allegedly assaulted a 61-year-old woman after she caught him going through her belongings. "Let's not turn this into a murder," he said, before slashing her in the neck and chest and punching her in the face.

Rowe was eventually arrested and hit with a slew of charges, including first-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse, predatory sexual assault, first and second-degree robbery, weapons possession, burglary, and petty larceny.

He is set to appear in court on June 28, and will be held at Riker's Island on $250,000 cash bail until then.

As the Post reports, authorities had numerous opportunities to ensure that Rowe remained behind bars and off the streets, but chose time and time again to give him leniency.

He was originally sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for the brutal rape and murder of a 10-year-old in 1987, and was released on parole in 2022 after serving thirty-five years.

During the trial for the aforementioned auto theft just months later, Rowe skipped out on numerous hearings but was nonetheless allowed to remain free.

"Charles Rowe is the poster child for parole violation," a source told the Post. He slammed Governor Hochul's new policy, noting that, "lowering the standards is responsible for one woman fighting off this monster and another woman being raped in two horrific crimes where both women were threatened to be killed."