FBI: Alliance suspect in attempted church bombing part of pro-Nazi group

An Alliance man accused of firebombing a Geauga County church planning to host a drag show belongs to an organization that espouses racist, pro-Nazi, and homophobic views.

Federal authorities arrested 25-year-old Aimenn Penny on Friday on charges of malicious use of explosive materials and possessing a destructive device.

According to an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court, Penny confessed to using Molotov cocktails against the Community Church of Chesterland to burn the church to the ground on March 25.

Investigators say Penny told them he was trying to protect children and stop the planned drag show event.

Penny described using bottles from his bedroom and detailed the ingredients and steps he used to build and use the devices, according to the affidavit.

 “The defendant used an explosive device to cause harm to a church he found objectionable,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “It is the solemn duty of the Department of Justice to safeguard the right of all Americans to free expression, and I commend the work of law enforcement in this matter.”

Acting on information that Penny may have been responsible for the crime, the FBI says records show Penny’s phone was at the church site on the day of the attempted bombing, which caused some scorching, but no major damage at the church.

At a March 11, 2023, drag queen event in Wadsworth, Ohio, members of White Lives Matter “showed up at the event carrying swastika flags and shouting racial and homophobic slurs and ‘Heil Hitler” according to investigators.

Police say Penny traveled to Wadsworth before a March 11, 2023, drag queen story hour to distribute propaganda flyers representing White Lives Matter, Ohio’s anti-drag queen views.

Then, according to the affidavit, Penny attended the drag queen story hour event on March 11, 2023, and was identified by Wadsworth  Police as a protester with White Lives Matter.

Penny was wearing military-style gear including camouflage pants, a tactical vest, and a jacket with a patch showing a firearm.

According to the affidavit, in Penny’s opinion, African Americans were the “problem” and he wanted to educate everyone about their violence toward white Americans. Penny stated that he believed African Americans were solely responsible for the high crime rate across the country.

Penny further made it clear that he believes - and looks forward to - the civil war coming between races and that the United States will not prosper until all the other races, or “weaknesses” as he called them, are gone.

A search of Penny’s home turned up a hand-written manifesto that contained ideological statements, a Nazi flag, Nazi memorabilia, a White Lives Matter of Ohio t-shirt, a gas mask, multiple rolls of blue painters’ tape, and gas cans.

If convicted, Penny faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison for the malicious use of explosive materials charge and up to 10 years in prison for the possession of a destructive device charge.