A former Clearfield County man serving a lengthy prison sentence for his serial abuse of a woman has filed a federal complaint in which he seeks his release from a state correctional facility.

William Robert Winkelman, 52, is incarcerated in the State Correctional Institution Marienville, where he is serving a 12- to 24-year sentence imposed by Clearfield County Judge Paul Cherry.

Cherry also sentenced Winkelman to three years’ probation to follow completion of his prison term.

Winkelman was sentenced after a jury convicted him of sexual assault, aggravated assault, strangulation, terroristic threats, unlawful restraint, simple assault and harassment — all offenses that occurred while he was in a relationship with the victim.

She told state police that Winkelman had attacked her on three occasions.

The first attack occurred on Dec. 25, 2018; the second on Feb. 10, 2019; and the final assault on Jan. 1, 2020.

She then sought help from the state police.

She reported that during the initial incident, Winkelman grabbed her by the hair and dragged her around their apartment, hitting her head on a stove, a cedar chest, a love seat, the kitchen table, a garbage can and a dryer.

He ended the beating by punching and kicking her.

In the second confrontation, she stated she suffered injuries to her neck and wrists.

In the third incident, the victim suffered injuries when he hit her head against a bathroom mirror until it broke. She also reported that Winkelman raped her at knifepoint during the third attack.

The victim and her daughter were able to support the charges brought against Winkelman by showing police photographs of the injuries that were taken after each incident.

Winkelman last week filed a federal petition with the District Court in

Johnstown, arguing he did not receive a fair trial.

He pointed out the jury found him not guilty of the rape charge.

In his argument, he maintains that the not guilty verdict indicated the jury was divided and that his convictions were not unanimous, which is a violation of the constitution.

Winkelman’s petitions also reflected complaints that he presented on appeal to the Pennsylvania Superior Court.

In that appeal, he claimed the people who took the photos — her daughter and a friend — did not testify, and therefore the photos were not

adequately authenticated.

He objected to the trial judge’s decision allowing jurors to view the photos.

The state Superior Court emphasized in its opinion that the victim testified the photographs depicting her injuries “fairly and accurately” showed the injuries.

Her testimony was enough to authenticate the injuries, the Superior Court ruled.

He also complained that the photos went with the jury into the deliberation room and some of the photos contained writing … for instance one photo had “December 15 attack” written on it.

The Superior Court opinion found the “captions” on the photos to be harmless and the appeals court concluded, “no relief is due.”

Winkelman, in his federal petition, asks the court to reverse the jury’s findings and grant him a motion acquittal. He seeks release from prison.

The Winkelman appeal has been assigned to Magistrate Judge Keith A. Pesto in Johnstown for review.