Alliance guy pleads guilty to firebombing a church because it prepared drag show events

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WASHINGTON - - A 20-year-old Alliance guy who the FBI states has an "extremist ideology" confessed to utilizing Molotov mixed drinks in an attack on a Geauga County church that had actually prepared a drag program occasion.

Aimenn D. Penny on Monday pleaded guilty to violating the Church Arson Prevention Act in his March 25 attack on the Community Church of Chesterland, according to a news release from Ohio's Northern District U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko.

He was "irate" by the church's plans to host two drag program occasions and wanted to "burn it to the ground," authorities stated at the time.

" By pleading guilty, Aimenn Penny has actually admitted that he attempted to burn down the Community Church of Chesterland because he disagreed with a prepared LGBTQI+ occasion," Lutzko is priced quote in the Tuesday news release. These images reveal the damage to the Community Church of Chesterland in an arson attack on March 25, 2023.

Cent admitted to the attack when spoken with by FBI representatives, according to his criminal affidavit, saying "he was attempting to protect kids and stop the drag program occasion.".

The church was unoccupied at the time of the attack and continual minimal damage, owners stated. The drag show event set for that weekend went on as planned.

Mother implicated of leaving 2 kids under 3 in the house alone to go to a Cleveland show.

Federal anti-terrorism agents worked along with Chester Township police to determine, apprehend and locate Penny.

" The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force operated in tandem with our local police and community partners to identify and bring federal charges against a hate-fueled individual, encouraged to violence by his extremist ideology," Larissa Knapp, executive assistant director of the FBI's National Security Branch, is priced quote in the release. "He dedicated these despicable acts in an effort to terrify and intimidate a religious organization's free expression, and he needs to face responsibility for these criminal activities.".

Penny is due for sentencing on Jan. 29, 2024. He deals with an optimum charge of 20 years in prison, not including an obligatory 10-year sentence that must run consecutively.