An Alliance, Ohio man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for attempting to burn down a church in Geauga County because it supported the LGBTQ+ community.

Aimenn D. Penny, 20, pleaded guilty in October to church arson hate crime and using fire and explosives to commit a felony.

According to court documents, Penny made Molotov cocktails last March 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.

"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.

"This defendant tried to burn down a church simply because its members created space for and provided support to the LGBTQ+ community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

The FBI Cleveland Field Office investigated the case.