DATE: JANUARY 20, 2017
RE: PRESS RELEASE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY D. HOLLEY CARNRIGHT ANNOUNCES: KINGSTON MAN CONVICTED OF MULTIPLE COUNTS OF AGGRAVATED FAMILY OFFENSE
After less than two hours of deliberations, an Ulster County jury found Charles M. Burgher, 25, guilty of three counts of Aggravated Family Offense. The Hon. Donald Williams presided over the trial.
On February 24, 2016, Kingston Police Department responded to multiple calls reporting a woman screaming. The victim had tried to protect herself that morning by shutting herself inside her bathroom. The defendant broke down the bathroom door around her, then threatened and hit her with a metal pot until she was cornered in her bathroom, lying in a box of cat litter. The victim managed to secretly call the police. Simultaneously, a downstairs neighbor who had heard the victim screaming also called the police. Officers Michael Ryan, Christopher Spylios and Keith Pagan arrived on the scene within minutes of the phone calls and arrested the defendant.
Aggravated Family Offense is a relatively new felony offense. The Legislature enacted the law in 2012 to address repeat domestic violence offenders who continue to commit misdemeanor offenses against their victims. Burgher had previously been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor in January of 2015 against a different victim. This prior conviction elevated his crimes on February 24, 2016 to the felonies of Aggravated Family Offense. Burgher has three other convictions for domestic violence crimes.
Burgher will be sentenced on March 24, 2017 and faces up to two to four years in state prison for his convictions.
The case was prosecuted by Ulster County Assistant District Attorney Carly P. Wolfrom and Assistant District Attorney Timothy Lawson. The defendant was represented by Eric Naiburg, Esq.