According to authorities, an Ohio guy was upset that a church intended to host two drag events and tossed two Molotov cocktails at it in an attempt to burn it down.
Twenty-year-old Aimenn D. Penny was detained earlier this year after attempting to set fire to the Community Church of Chesterland on March 25. He entered a guilty plea on Monday to use explosives and fire to commit a felony and violate the Church Arson Prevention Act.
The criminal complaint claims that Penny built her Molotov cocktails using a vodka bottle and a beer bottle. An accelerant was utilized, gasoline, as reported by CBS News.
Investigators discovered that Penny is a part of White Lives Matter, which the criminal complaint referred to as an "organization with racist, pro-Nazi, and homophobic beliefs." Members of the group, including Penny, had attended a drag show in Wadsworth, Ohio, on March 11, protesting what they saw as the group's "racist, pro-Nazi, and homophobic views.
According to the criminal complaint, Penny was questioned by the FBI after he tossed the Molotov cocktails at the Chesterland church. He said he was attempting to defend kids.
According to the lawsuit, the church's front door was scorched by the Molotov cocktails. Additionally, a sign on the building's façade has burn marks. The property's southeast corner has a broken sign there.
The punishment for Penny is due on January 29. In addition to a required 10-year prison sentence that will run concurrently with any other prison term issued for using fire to accomplish a federal offense, he faces a potential 20-year jail sentence for violating the Church Arson Prevention Act.
In recent years, drag events have sparked protests and new legislation. A statute in Tennessee that severely restricted drag performances was deemed unlawful in June. A bill prohibiting children from attending drag performances was enacted by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in May.
Drag Performs are Accused of Being Pedophiles
Hate groups intended to disrupt a different drag-themed event in northeast Ohio in March that was a benefit for a nearby church.
Hate groups regularly accuse drag performers of being pedophiles, claiming that gatherings involving drag performers are intended to "groom" or abuse youngsters. Cleveland Proud Boys were accused of disseminating posters on social media encouraging people to join them in protesting at "a rally against groomers."
In Wadsworth earlier that month, a number of hate groups interfered with the Rock-n-Roll Drag Queen Story Hour by yelling charges of pedophilia at the audience members.
Related article: Judge Blocks Tennessee City's Ban on Drag Shows on Public Property
