Rowe to serve prison time for four separate felonies
Eric Rowe, 30, pleaded guilty to four felonies he committed in 2019, 2020, and 2021. He prayed in a four-page letter and in court Monday to the St. Joseph County Circuit Court judge for another chance at drug rehabilitation or a minimal prison sentence of two years or less.
When Judge Paul Stutesman imposed a minimum of 40 months to 10 years for robbery from Alejandro Garcia-Espinal in Sturgis in April 2020, Rowe exploded into a tirade of curses and comments aimed at the judge, defense attorneys and the court system.
Rowe lured Garcia-Espinal to a North Street apartment where Rowe used a pellet gun to rob him. He shot the victim in the face causing a severe injury. Garcia-Espinal managed to knife Rowe in the lower back.
Rowe tried to blame the robbery on a woman who called Garcia-Espinal. Garcia-Espinal ripped off Rowe's mask. He was able to identify Rowe for Sturgis police.
Defense attorney Rhonda Ives told Rowe he would not get a better plea bargain after the life felony of armed robbery was reduced to a 10-year offense.
"I am so, so, so, sorry for being in this situation yet again," Rowe said.
The often homeless Rowe lived in Sturgis and Three Rivers. He said he had a hard life and lost his children because of crimes and addictions. He asked for community treatment because after prison, he would be released "with no support, no family, no friends."
Van Buren County Prosecuting Attorney Susan Zuiderveen handled the state's case because St. Joseph County Prosecutor David Marvin was involved as a defense attorney with Rowe before his election.
Zuiderveen offered Rowe the plea bargains to resolve the four cases. Rowe received 18 months to five years for possession of a stolen trailer from Lockport Township. It was November 2019 when the owner found his trailer and Rowe at a property. The property owner said Rowe brought the trailer there.
In April 2020, Rowe broke into a Fawn River Township home while the family was in Florida. He took jewelry, iPads and cameras. He left in a stolen Chrysler Sebring.
The catalytic converter was removed. Rowe's fingerprints were on the car left in Sturgis. He was sentenced to 21 months to four years for the theft from the building.
Rowe received 30 months to five years for stealing a Nissan Altima in Sturgis in January 2021, then fighting Sturgis Police officers who arrested him.
All the sentences are concurrent.
There are pending charges he must face when his Michigan sentence is over. He is charged with possession of meth in LaGrange County, Ind., in July 2020 and March 2021.
Rowe was hospitalized in April 2021 in Indiana after a serious accident. He drove a 2020 Jeep Compass across the center line on S.R 9. He struck a 2015 Freightliner milk hauler head-on in Rome City.
Rowe was airlifted to an area hospital with serious injuries to his lower extremities. Scars are visible on his legs from the surgeries.
This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Eric Rowe will serve prison time for four separate felonies
