Ohio Man Pleads Guilty and Admits To Attack on LGBTQ Friendly Church

According to authorities, an Ohio man admitted guilt to federal charges related to his “reprehensible” attempt to burn down a church that supports LGBTQ rights.

According to court records, on March 25, Aimenn D. Penny, a 20-year-old from Alliance, Ohio, tossed Molotov cocktails at the Community Church of Chesterland in an attempt to set the building on fire because it had planned forthcoming drag performances.

Penny entered a plea of guilty to breaking the Church Arson Prevention Act, which was passed by President Bill Clinton in 1996 in response to a number of assaults on Black churches, and to using fire and explosives to accomplish a felony.

Penny faces up to 20 years behind bars after pleading guilty to the church arson charge, according to the Justice Department. His sentencing was set for Jan. 29, 2024.

Jess Peacock, pastor of the Community Church of Chesterland, said the congregation was satisfied with the outcome.

“From the very beginning, we said that we held no ill will against Mr. Penny,” Peacock told NBC News on Tuesday. “We were very disappointed by the actions he took.”

The explosives hurled at the church destroyed its sign but otherwise did little damage.

“White Lives Matter” was described in the court filing as an organization with “racist, pro-Nazi, and homophobic views.”

The head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, referred to Penny’s actions as “reprehensible.”
She added in a statement that there was “no room in this country for such bias-motivated violence and terror.”