A Christiansburg, Virginia man has been ordered to serve 35 years in prison after being found guilty of abducting and violently ᴀssaulting a woman who had gone to a local H๏τel to end their relationship. Joseph Nathan Penn was sentenced on September 23, 2026, in Montgomery County Circuit Court following his conviction earlier in the year.

The attack took place on October 23, 2025, at a Budget Inn in Christiansburg. According to prosecutors, Sarah Isley traveled to the H๏τel that day with the intention of breaking off her relationship with Penn. Once inside the room, he launched a physical ᴀssault that included punching her, throwing her to the floor, and strangling her. During the same incident he also Sєxually ᴀssaulted her.

Law enforcement later recovered a knife that forensic analysis linked to the victim through DNA evidence. Investigators also obtained a video recorded by Penn himself in which he is seen holding the knife against the woman’s throat. These pieces of evidence played a significant role in the case.

Penn was convicted on May 20, 2026, after a trial prosecuted by Montgomery County Commonwealth’s Attorney Patrick Jensen. At the September sentencing hearing, the judge imposed the following terms:

35 years for object Sєxual penetration (active time to be served)
10 years for abduction (suspended)
5 years for strangulation (suspended)
As a result, Penn will spend 35 years in prison. Upon his eventual release he will be required to complete 10 years of supervised probation and must register as a Sєx offender.

The case drew attention in the local community as details of the H๏τel-room ᴀssault and the subsequent investigation became public. Prosecutors emphasized the severity of the violence and the lasting impact on the victim. The sentencing brings a measure of legal closure more than 11 months after the original attack.

Anyone with additional information related to the case is encouraged to contact local law enforcement or the Montgomery County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

Sources : WFXR News