Norfolk, Virginia, home to the world’s largest naval base, is well-known to U.S. military veterans.
However, a Navy veteran from Norfolk recently made headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Callahan Kessler, 25, was sentenced on March 13 to four years in prison for maliciously assaulting his wife, which included a conviction for strangulation and abduction.
The abuse allegedly became so severe that his now ex-wife fled from their Virginia home to another state to hide from Kessler in 2024, according to WAVY.com.
Here’s What Happened
Based on police reports, Kessler came home one night after being out drinking and began arguing with his wife. The fight turned violent, and Kessler shoved her into a counter, placed his hands around her neck and strangled her, then flung her down a flight of stairs leading to the basement. Kessler allegedly forced his wife to go outside, where he continued to push her and prevent her from returning to the house.
According to the report, the victim tried to get past Kessler, but he continued to block her path, even going back inside the home and locking the door behind him.
His wife banged on the door several times, hoping Kessler would let her in, but this only angered the Navy veteran more. Kessler unlocked the door, met the victim outside, and shoved her again, causing her to fall off the porch stairs, smacking a concrete footpath face-first, losing consciousness.
To support the victim’s case, footage of the violent incident was recorded on the couple’s home security camera, according to local police.
Fallout from Assault
After the ugly incident, Kessler’s wife called a family member in Oregon, requesting them to travel to Norfolk and help her pack up and flee Virginia to get away from Kessler without him knowing.
She reported the incident to Norfolk Police in May 2025, handing detectives damning evidence from the home security system. In addition, the victim presented photos and video evidence of injuries she had suffered in the assault.
Norfolk Police obtained warrants for Kessler’s arrest, charging him with strangulation and domestic assault. Additional felony charges, such as malicious wounding and abduction, came from a grand jury that reviewed evidence in Kessler’s case.
On Jan. 12, Kessler pleaded not guilty to all charges and told the court he would like to receive a jury trial. However, Judge Robert B. Rigney found the veteran guilty of three felonies and one misdemeanor, and he was sentenced on March 13.
Sentencing Details
Rigney didn’t go easy on the former sailor, giving Kessler four years imprisonment, but suspending another nine years in prison, on the condition that the veteran successfully finishes three years of supervised probation and displays good behavior after he leaves prison, including paying his ex-wife restitution fees and adhering to a lifetime order that he has no contact with her.
While in custody, Kessler must complete evaluations for alcohol abuse, anger management, and intervention programs for domestic violence offenders. He had no previous run-ins with the law.
Court officials determined Kessler’s conviction warranted a prison sentence based on the severity of the charges. Based on Virginia law, his sentence was around the middle or high end of sentencing guidelines.
Ramin Fatehi, who served as an attorney in the case representing the Commonwealth of Virginia, applauded the victim’s bravery in leaving Kessler before the abuse turned deadly.
“Above all, let me express my admiration for the courage of the survivor of this crime and for the help that her family member offered to help her leave her abuser,” Fatehi said in a press release. “Mr. Kessler’s extended wounding, strangulation, and abduction of his wife was egregious and could have easily left her permanently injured or dead. This is not how we treat people we claim to love, and when we abuse our family members, we must pay a price. My office will continue to focus our efforts on the violent crimes that traumatize and endanger our neighbors.”
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