CLEARFIELD – A former Cherry Tree man convicted of sexual assault and aggravated assault was sentenced to state prison Monday.
After a trial in October, William R. Winkelman, 49, whose address is now listed as Brockway, was found guilty of two counts of aggravated assault, three counts of simple assault and one count each of strangulation, sexual assault, terroristic threats and unlawful restraint. The jury determined he was not guilty of the additional charge of felony rape.
Court document indicate he was charged with assaulting the victim on three different occasions at a Burnside Township residence beginning in December of 2018.
Judge Paul E. Cherry sentenced him to a total of 12 to 24 years in state prison plus three years consecutive probation.
Winkelman must complete sex offender counseling and register as a sex offender with local law enforcement.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, the victim told police that on Dec. 25, 2018, she was watching a movie when Winkelman, who was drinking heavily, got angry and punched her in the face.
He then grabbed her by the hair, dragging her through the house, smacking her head on the walls and floor. Next, he kicked her in the ribs and stomach.
Instead of going to a hospital, she treated her injuries herself.
The next assault, on Feb. 10, 2019, started with Winkelman accusing her of cheating on him. As she tried to get away, he again grabbed her by the hair and placed his arm around her neck. He then “started to punch, kick and slap” her.
While she was on her stomach, he tightened his arm around her neck, restricting her ability to breathe.
She told investigators he then got a vacuum cord, which he wrapped around her throat. As she tried to stop the cord from wrapping around her neck with her hands, he tied her hands with the cord.
He then stated that “today is the day that you die” adding he would then kill himself, according to the report.
The third assault occurred Jan. 1, 2020 after she was awakened by Winkelman screaming “overtop of her on the phone.”
He ripped her out of bed and again dragged her by her hair through the house, she said.
After she managed to escape and get into the bathroom, he tried to strangle her there as they wrestled around the room.
Her head was smashed into a mirror in the room repeatedly. As they struggled, a knife fell out of a laundry hamper onto the floor.
Winkelman picked up the knife and pointed it at her before instructing her to go back into the bedroom and have sex with him. She was told that if she tried to leave, he would kill her.
After, he told her again that if she got out of bed, he would kill her, according to the complaint.
In a separate trial on similar charges in July, Winkelman was acquitted of felony strangulation and simple assault of the same victim that allegedly occurred March 11, 2020.