Prosecutors alleged Aimenn Perry, who pled guilty to arson-related charges, attempted to burn down a church planning to host two drag events. Aimenn Penny has been sentenced to 18 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for attempting to burn down a church that was planning to host two drag shows. The 20-year-old native of Alliance, Ohio, was arrested last year and charged with one count of 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. On October 23, Penny pleaded guilty to the church arson hate crime and using fire and explosives to commit a felony. Under sentencing guidelines, he could have potentially faced up to 20 years in prison for violating the church arson hate crime charge alone. On March 25, 2023, Penny made Molotov cocktails and drove to the Community Church of Chesterland in Chesterland, Ohio, according to court documents. Angered by the church’s plan to host two drag events the following weekend, Penny threw the Molotov cocktails at the church, hoping to burn it to the ground. The vandalism left scorch marks on the church’s door. While Penny was being interviewed by the detectives from the FBI Cleveland Field Office, he said that he wanted to “protect children” from being exposed to drag and targeted the church after being angered by “Internet videos of news feeds and drag shows in France.” Prosecutors claimed that Penny is a member of White Lives Matter, an extremist group that allegedly espouses “racist, pro-Nazi, and homophobic views.”
via metroweekly: White Supremacist Gets 18 Years for Firebombing Church