Hunt con in sex attack on woman, 83

A violent career criminal forced his way into an 83-year-old woman’s apartment and tried to rape her Sunday, breaking her ribs when she fought back, cops said.

The attacker, identified by police as Gary Mallette, 51, is still on the loose. Cops hope the public — perhaps someone in his Bronx stomping grounds — can help detectives find him.

Mallette (photo) knocked on the woman’s door in the Castle Hill Houses at about 12:50 p.m. When she answered, he shoved his way into her apartment, cops said.

“Where’s the money?” he demanded.

He struck her several times as he tried to rape her, but the woman fought back, cops said. Before he ran, he grabbed her cell phone and jewelry, cops said.

Medics took the woman to a nearby hospital with broken ribs and facial injuries, cops said.

Mallette has more than 50 arrests, and has served three state prison sentences dating back to 1992, police sources said.

Police in the 43rd Precinct, which covers Castle Hill, know him well — his past 11 arrests were within the precinct’s borders, and many of those arrests happened in public housing buildings, sources said. Mallette served time in 1992 for robbery, grand larceny and drug dealing.

He returned to prison in 1994 on another robbery charge.

He was last released from prison in May 2014, after serving out the remainder of a 41⁄3to-six-year term for a 2003 drug dealing and attempted robbery conviction.

Police ask anyone with information about his whereabouts to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS.