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Ulster County resident Charles Burgher, of Highland, was sentenced Friday, Dec. 9 to state prison followed by 15 years post-release supervision.
According to the Ulster County District Attorney's Office, Burgher was convicted of five counts of rape and three counts of criminal sexual act following a four-day jury trial in October.
The conviction stems from incidents between August 2022 and Nov. 2022, when Burgher was arrested after a 5-and-a-half-hour standoff with law enforcement at the 9W Motel in the Town of Ulster, the DA's office said.
Burgher finally surrendered to authorities when the Kingston-Ulster Emergency Services Unit was about to force entry into the room.
Burgher and the child-victim were neighbors in Highland for the better part of 2022 and the victim regularly babysat for his four children.
He was found with the child inside the motel room where he planned on taking her to New York City the following day to begin a new life, leaving behind his girlfriend and children who lived in Highland, the DA's office said.
On Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, the child victim's mother filed a missing person’s report with the town of Lloyd Police Department when she did not return home from school.
An investigation led law enforcement to the 9W Motel, where the child was recovered safely. She was brought to the hospital where a sexual assault nurse examiner collected forensic evidence that ensured this prosecution and conviction.
“Charles Burgher is a predator of the worst kind, and he deserves every single day of his lengthy and appropriate prison sentence," said Senior Assistant District Attorney Nicholas LaStella.
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