Aimenn D. Penny, Church Arson, Ohio 2023

Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Burn Down Church that Planned to Host Drag Show Events

An Ohio man pleaded guilty yesterday to violating the Church Arson Prevention Act and to using fire and explosives to commit a felony, all in connection with his attempt to burn down a church because of the church’s support for the LGBTQI+ community.

Aimenn D. Penny, 20, of Alliance, Ohio, made Molotov cocktails and drove to the Community Church of Chesterland (CCC), in Chesterland, Ohio, on March 25, 2023. Angered by the church’s plan to host two drag events the following weekend, Penny threw two Molotov cocktails at the church, hoping to burn it to the ground.

“Attempting to burn down the Community Church of Chesterland for their support of the LGBTQI+ community is reprehensible,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke. “There is no room in this country for such bias-motivated violence and terror, and the Justice Department will continue to protect all Americans in their free exercise of religious beliefs by vigorously prosecuting those who target houses of worship.”

Penny was arrested and charged earlier this year with violating the Church Arson Prevention Act, one count of using fire to commit a federal felony, one count of malicious use of explosive materials, and one count of possessing a destructive device.

Penny faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the violation of the Church Arson Prevention Act and a 10-year mandatory prison sentence that will run consecutively with any other prison term imposed for using fire to commit a federal felony.

Sentencing has been scheduled for January 29, 2024. The FBI Cleveland Field Office is investigating the case.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/ohio-man-pleads-guilty-attempting-burn-down-church-planned-host-drag-show-events