Parolee arrested for following a woman into a New York building and raping her

A man on parole for a theft charge was arrested for following a woman into her SoHo apartment building and raping her, police said Tuesday.

Ellow Williams, 30, hid behind a parked car as the 23-year-old victim got out of a taxi in front of her building near the corner of Thompson St. and Prince St. around 4:10 a.m. Sunday, police said.

The woman opened the front door of her building with a key fob and walked into the lobby. Before the door could close behind her, Williams snuck in behind her, police said.

The man confronted the woman on the second floor and told her, “If you scream, I’ll shoot you,” police said.

Williams did not flash or simulate a gun, but placed the victim in a chokehold and sexually assaulted her. He stole $40 from the woman before fleeing on foot, leaving her on the second floor of her building.

The victim was treated at a local hospital and released.

Williams was arrested Tuesday and immediately requested a lawyer while being questioned by police. He was accused of rape.

The accused rapist has five previous arrests in New York City. He spent nearly two years in prison for theft and was released on parole in March 2023, records show.

His arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court was pending Tuesday evening.

So far this year, the NYPD has investigated 454 rape cases. At the same time last year, there were 451 incidents, according to NYPD Chief Joseph Kenny.