Neo-Nazi Sentenced to 18 Years for Hate Crime Firebombing of LGBT-Affirming Church
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
A neo-Nazi who hurled Molotov cocktails at a Geauga County church because it hosted LGBTQ events pleaded guilty Monday to a federal hate crime charge.Aimenn Penny, 20, entered the pleas in federal court in Cleveland to obstruction of persons in the free exercise of religious beliefs and arson. Penny faces between 14 years and three months in prison and 15 years and three months when U.S. District Judge Bridget Brennan sentences him on January 29th.
Prosecutors and Penny's defense attorney, John Greven, are allowed to argue for more or less time, but Brennan must sentence Penny to at least 10 years in prison.
Authorities say Penny also showed up to a drag event on March 11th, where he and other members of White Lives Matter were carrying swastika flags, and shouting "Heil, Hitler" as well as homophobic and racial slurs.
Upon his arrest, the FBI reported finding a Nazi flag, a White Lives Matter of Ohio T-shirt, and other hateful memorabilia in Penny's home.
An Ohio man was sentenced to 216 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for attempting to burn down a church because of its support for the LGBTQ community.
Aimenn D. Penny, 20, of Alliance, Ohio was arrested and charged last year 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 23rd 2023, Penny pleaded guilty to the church arson hate crime and using fire and explosives to commit a felony.
According to court documents, on March 25th 2023, Penny made Molotov cocktails and drove to the Community Church of Chesterland in Chesterland, Ohio. 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.
Through Penny's guilty plea, he admitted to using force through fire and explosives, intending to obstruct CCC congregants in their enjoyment and expression of their religious beliefs.
"This sentence holds Mr. Penny accountable for carrying out violence against an Ohio church because he disagreed with the way congregants chose to express their beliefs," said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division.
"Such acts of extremist violence have no place in our communities and the Justice Department is committed to bringing to justice those who would use or threaten violence to prevent their fellow citizens from freely exercising their fundamental rights."
In April, the FBI reported finding a Nazi flag, a White Lives Matter of Ohio T-shirt, and other hateful memorabilia in Penny's home. Well before the Molotov cocktail strike, Penny showed up to another drag event on March 11th, where members of White Lives Matter were carrying "swastika flags and shouting racial and homophobic slurs and 'Heil Hitler.'"
At Monday's sentencing hearing, Penny did not apologize, and maintained that he committed the act in an effort to "protect the children." He reportedly said he is against men dressing as women and vice versa. "Especially in a place of worship," Penny said. "I didn't hurt anyone."
He also said he was doing "God's work," and his only regret was the church did not burn to the ground.
Federal agents also intercepted a letter he tried to send from jail to fellow White Lives Matter group members, urging them to firebomb the Akron Civic Center, which also was hosting a drag event. He even gave them the recipe he used for the Molotov cocktails.