A Nepalese army major admitted in court Wednesday that he severely beat his wife while he was attending training at the Quantico Marine Corps Base.
Govinda Shahi pleaded guilty to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in federal court in Alexandria. He could face up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 14.
Shahi was arrested Dec. 7, while he was attending a nine-month program at the Marines’ Expeditionary Warfare School.
His wife told the Naval Criminal Investigative Service that Shahi had beat her with his fists, feet and a stick.
She suffered a ruptured spleen, multiple bruises, and a broken nose and ankle, according to court records.
The spleen injury resulted in significant blood loss, and she required a blood transfusion. The foot injury occurred when Shahi had stomped it with his military boot.
Shahi was released from custody the day of his arrest. That night, he fled the military base with his two children, then ages 10 and 5.
The children were dropped off in Baltimore unharmed and were later reunited with their mother, according to NCIS.
Shahi was apprehended Aug. 13 outside Baltimore in Parkville.
Shahi told investigators that he had beaten his wife and that she committed adultery, according to his plea agreement.
He had spent about six weeks at the warfare school before the domestic violence complaints surfaced.
Shahi was dropped from the Marine training program in December.
