Renovo man gets life drug sentence commuted by President Obama

WASHINGTON — A Renovo man was among 209 people who had their sentences commuted by President Obama this week.

John Winkleman Jr., now 61 and serving a life sentence in federal prison on numerous drug convictions, had his sentence commuted to 30 years. He was among 10 people from the Renovo area caught up in a federal drug sweep in 2001, what officials said at the time was a $2 million drug ring. He had been convicted of multiple drug-related charges including distribution of in excess of five kilograms of cocaine and in aiding in the distribution of cocaine to individuals under the age of 21. Late federal Middle District Judge James F. McClure Jr. had sentenced him to life plus 60 months’ imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release.

Information at the time of the drug sweep said the ring was based mainly in Renovo’s now defunct Wink’s Bar owned by his brother George Winkleman who is reported serving a 40-year sentence. The bar was destroyed in an arson fire in December of 2000.

John Winkleman Jr. had been filing appeals over a period of years, all rejected until the president approved the commutation. A statement from the White House said, “These individuals learned that our nation is a forgiving nation, where hard work and a commitment to rehabilitation can lead to a second chance, and where wrongs from the past will not deprive an individual of the opportunity to move forward.”