Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
'White Lives Matter' Activist Tried to Firebomb Church to Stop Drag Show, Feds Say
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 1 year ago on
April 25, 2023

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

An man told investigators that he tried to burn down an church in Ohio because he wanted to prevent a drag show that was scheduled to take place there, federal prosecutors allege in newly unsealed charges.

Aimenn Penny, a 20-year-old from Alliance who is a member of a “white lives matter” group that espouses racist and neo-Nazi views, tried to burn down the Community Church of Chesterland early on March 25, authorities allege in court documents unsealed Monday. Chesterland is a small community east of Cleveland.

According to the criminal complaint, Penny said he tried to burn down the church using Molotov cocktails because he wanted to “protect the children and stop the drag show event.” He also regretted that it didn’t work, authorities said.

The FBI said the church, which was unoccupied at the time, sustained minimal damage and had scorch marks on the front door. According to court documents, investigators found broken glass from a vodka bottle and a beer bottle each containing a cloth-type material, along with a burnt matchstick and a blue plastic spray bottle filled with gasoline.

Penny was arrested March 31 and remains in custody. His attorney, John Greven, has declined to comment on the charges.

Penny is charged with violating the Church Arson Prevention Act, using fire to commit a federal felony, the malicious use of explosive materials and possessing a destructive device. He faces up to 50 years in prison if he’s convicted on all counts.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Fresno State Shows the Nation How a Peaceful Palestinian Protest is Done

DON'T MISS

Wired Wednesday: Digging Into Fresno’s Trash Hauling Fees

DON'T MISS

Fresno State Announces 2024 Undergraduate Deans’ Medalists

DON'T MISS

Duane Eddy, Twangy Guitar Hero of Early Rock, Dead at Age 86

DON'T MISS

Fresno State’s Randa Jarrar Dragged Out of Event Featuring Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik

DON'T MISS

Trump Calls Judge ‘Crooked’ After Facing a Warning of Jail Time if He Violates a Trial Gag Order

DON'T MISS

Federal Reserve Says Interest Rates Will Stay at Two-Decade High Until Inflation Further Cools

DON'T MISS

House Passes Bill Expanding Antisemitism Definition Amid Campus Protests Over Gaza War

DON'T MISS

Trump Awarded 36 Million More Trump Media Shares Worth $1.8 Billion

DON'T MISS

Fresno Trustees Discuss Interim Superintendent Decision. When Will They Decide?

UP NEXT

Trump Calls Judge ‘Crooked’ After Facing a Warning of Jail Time if He Violates a Trial Gag Order

UP NEXT

House Passes Bill Expanding Antisemitism Definition Amid Campus Protests Over Gaza War

UP NEXT

The Latest | In Israel, Blinken Pushes Hamas to Agree on Gaza Cease-Fire Deal

UP NEXT

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Vows to Force a Vote on Ousting House Speaker Mike Johnson

UP NEXT

Dems: We Will Save GOP Speaker Johnson’s Job if Republicans Try to Oust Him

UP NEXT

Scammers Stole More Than $3.4 Billion from Older Americans Last Year, an FBI Report Says

UP NEXT

4 Law Officers Serving Warrant Are Killed, 4 Wounded in Shootout at North Carolina Home, Police Say

UP NEXT

Hush Money Trial Enters 3rd Week, Begins With Gag Order Ruling and $9K Fine for Trump

UP NEXT

How Did Watchdog Respond to Arias Ethics Complaint on DA Smittcamp?

UP NEXT

Planning for Potential Presidential Transition Underway by Biden Administration

Duane Eddy, Twangy Guitar Hero of Early Rock, Dead at Age 86

6 hours ago

Fresno State’s Randa Jarrar Dragged Out of Event Featuring Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik

6 hours ago

Trump Calls Judge ‘Crooked’ After Facing a Warning of Jail Time if He Violates a Trial Gag Order

6 hours ago

Federal Reserve Says Interest Rates Will Stay at Two-Decade High Until Inflation Further Cools

6 hours ago

House Passes Bill Expanding Antisemitism Definition Amid Campus Protests Over Gaza War

7 hours ago

Trump Awarded 36 Million More Trump Media Shares Worth $1.8 Billion

8 hours ago

Fresno Trustees Discuss Interim Superintendent Decision. When Will They Decide?

Local Education /

8 hours ago

Why Wheels on $10M Worth of Fresno Buses Don’t Go Round and Round

8 hours ago

Enough With the Excuses. Are You Part of the Problem With Fresno’s Public Education?

8 hours ago

New Battlegrounds Emerge in California’s Political Guerrilla War Over Housing

10 hours ago

Fresno State Shows the Nation How a Peaceful Palestinian Protest is Done

A peaceful pro-Palestinian sit-in at Fresno State on Wednesday lived up to its billing. “We want a cease-fire, and we just want a free...

4 hours ago

4 hours ago

Fresno State Shows the Nation How a Peaceful Palestinian Protest is Done

5 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: Digging Into Fresno’s Trash Hauling Fees

6 hours ago

Fresno State Announces 2024 Undergraduate Deans’ Medalists

6 hours ago

Duane Eddy, Twangy Guitar Hero of Early Rock, Dead at Age 86

6 hours ago

Fresno State’s Randa Jarrar Dragged Out of Event Featuring Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik

6 hours ago

Trump Calls Judge ‘Crooked’ After Facing a Warning of Jail Time if He Violates a Trial Gag Order

6 hours ago

Federal Reserve Says Interest Rates Will Stay at Two-Decade High Until Inflation Further Cools

7 hours ago

House Passes Bill Expanding Antisemitism Definition Amid Campus Protests Over Gaza War

MENU

CONNECT WITH US

Search

Send this to a friend