APD says arrest warrants will be taken for former state Rep. Winfred Dukes

ALBANY — The Albany Police Department identified former state Rep. Winfred Dukes as the suspect in a domestic violence incident reported by his former wife, who had visible injuries when an APD officer responded on Friday to her workplace.

Warrants will be taken on charges of battery and child cruelty, police said.

Charlice Dukes reported that her ex-husband, who was a Democratic candidate for state agriculture commissioner in the 2022 Democratic primary, punched her in the forehead at her workplace on the 1300 block of Mobile Avenue. She also reported that Dukes previously had been issued a criminal trespass warning for that location, but police were unable to confirm the existence of the warning at the time the report was prepared.

During the investigation, Charlice Duke reported that Winfred Dukes showed up and wanted to take home their son, for whom a parenting plan in place states that the child is to stay with his mother until June. She also had filed a complaint with the state Department of Family and Children Services “about Dukes’ living conditions,” the report said. That report apparently had made him angry, and she had been advised by her lawyer not to allow their children back at his residence until that issue was resolved.

When she told her ex-husband that she was leaving with the child Friday, he tried to block a door, she reported, and as she tried to walk past him “Dukes grabbed her arm and she pulled back from him,” the report said. “Charlice advised when she pulled back, Dukes punched her in the forehead with a closed fist.

“Clarice stated she fell back after the incident and landed on top of Dukes. Charlice advised that is when Dukes kicked her in the chest, knee and stomach.”

A co-worker at the location reported the couple’s son was screaming as he and his mother exited the building, and that she heard Charlice Dukes scream, “Don’t you ever put your hands on me no more” at her ex-husband. The contents of Charlice Dukes’ purse were strewn over the floor, a basket by her office was hanging off the wall and the boy’s book bag was outside her office by a printer.

The co-workers did not witness what took place inside but told police they saw Winfred Dukes leave the building immediately after Charlice Dukes and her son and that they cleaned up inside the office afterwards

The officer who responded to the call observed a “raised knot” on Charlice Dukes’ forehead and took photos for evidence, police said. The pending charges are second degree cruelty to children, a felony, police said, and a misdemeanor charge of battery.

The Herald made two phone calls to Winfred Dukes’ cell phone on Monday and left messages at that number but did not receive a response.

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