Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. today announced the guilty plea of ELLOW WILLIAMS, 32, for following a woman to her SoHo apartment building before strangling her and raping her on April 21, 2024. WILLIAMS pleaded guilty in New York State Supreme Court to Rape in the First Degree. Under the terms of his plea, he is expected to be sentenced on September 16, 2025, to 18 years in state prison. 

“A young woman was walking into her SoHo apartment building when Ellow Williams followed her inside, strangled her until she appeared to lose consciousness, and raped her. He will now serve a lengthy prison sentence for this brutal and terrifying attack,” said District Attorney Bragg. “My office’s Special Victims Division has the resources to support survivors of sexual assault and ensure accountability for those who commit these crimes – please call us at 212-335-9373.” 

According to court documents and statements made on the record, and as admitted in the defendant’s guilty plea, WILLIAMS followed the young woman to her SoHo apartment building shortly after 4:00 a.m. on April 21, 2024. WILLIAMS pulled his mask over his face and entered the building behind her. WILLIAMS followed her to the second floor, where he approached her from behind and placed her in a chokehold until she appeared to lose consciousness. WILLIAMS then forcibly raped her. WILLIAMS fled before being arrested by the NYPD’s Special Victims Squad two days later. 

Assistant D.A. Christina Awad and Assistant D.A. Caroline Edgar are handling the prosecution of the case under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Kaitlyn Flatley (Deputy Chief of the Intimate Partner & Sexual Violence Bureau) and Nicole Blumberg (Chief of the Intimate Partner & Sexual Violence Bureau) and Executive Assistant D.A. Justin McNabney (Chief of the Special Victims Division) with the assistance of Investigative Analyst Anya Tullman. 

D.A. Bragg thanked the NYPD Manhattan Special Victims Squad. 

Defendant Information: 

ELLOW WILLIAMS 

New York, NY 

Convicted:

• Rape in the First Degree, a class B felony, one count 

###