An Ohio man was sentenced yesterday to 216 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for attempting to burn down a church because of its support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Aimenn D. Penny, 20, of Alliance, Ohio, was arrested and charged last year with one count of violating the Church Arson Prevention Act, one count of using fire to commit a federal felony, one count of malicious use of explosive materials, and one count of possessing a destructive device. On Oct. 23, 2023, Penny pleaded guilty to the church arson hate crime and using fire and explosives to commit a felony.
According to court documents, on March 25, 2023, Penny made Molotov cocktails and drove to the Community Church of Chesterland (CCC), 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. Through Penny’s guilty plea, he admitted to using force through fire and explosives, intending to obstruct CCC congregants in their enjoyment and expression of their religious beliefs.
“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.
“Such acts of extremist violence have no place in our communities and the Justice Department is committed to bringing to justice those who would use or threaten violence to prevent their fellow citizens from freely exercising their fundamental rights.”
“We hope this significant sentence sends a clear and resounding message that this type of hate-fueled attack against a church will not be tolerated in our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant tried to burn down a church simply because its members created space for and provided support to the LGBTQ+ community. The Justice Department will vigorously investigate and prosecute such senseless, bias-motivated violence against people exercising their constitutionally protected right to practice their religion and express their beliefs.”
“Aimenn Penny will spend the next 18 years in prison because he committed crimes fueled by hate, attempting to burn down a church because its members supported the LGBTQI+ community,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Hate crimes like Penny’s hurt not only the individual target, but the entire community, causing people to fear attack based on who they love and undermining the sense of safety within places of worship. Violent, bias-motivated extremism has no place in our country, and our office will aggressively prosecute those who commit such crimes.”
“Aimenn Penny is being held accountable for trying to burn down a house of worship because he disagreed with the church hosting certain events,” said Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “Individuals who commit acts of violence, destroy property, and interfere with the free exercise of religion will face justice for those crimes. As in this case, the FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, will use our lawful authorities to protect our communities from such violence, and ensure those responsible pay the price.”
The FBI Cleveland Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Deckert and Matthew W. Shepard for the Northern District of Ohio, Trial Attorneys Jacob Warren and Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
President Biden Proclaims the Importance of Recognizing Stalking as a Serious Issue
In a bid to increase awareness and combat the alarming rates of stalking in the United States, President Biden has officially declared January 2024 as National Stalking Awareness Month. This proclamation aims to shed light on the prevalence of stalking and its devastating effects, while also encouraging victims to come forward and seek support.
According to a report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), approximately 1.3% of Americans aged 16 and older, translating to 3.4 million people, were victims of stalking in 2019. While these numbers have slightly declined from 1.5% in 2016, it is crucial to realize that stalking remains a pervasive issue in society.
Traditionally, stalking is characterized by the perpetrator following and monitoring their victims. However, with the advancement of technology, stalking now extends beyond physical presence. Unwanted phone calls, messages, emails, and internet messages have become common methods employed by stalkers. It is essential to acknowledge that both traditional and technological methods of stalking can have harrowing psychological effects on the victims.
Although stalking affects individuals of all genders, statistics reveal that women are victims of stalking more than twice as often as men. It is important to note that these figures reflect reported incidents, and the actual number of male victims might be underrepresented due to societal expectations and stereotypes. Addressing this gender disparity and ensuring equal support for all victims is imperative in combating stalking effectively.
Research indicates that individuals aged 18 to 24, mainly college students, experience the highest rates of stalking. This places students on college and university campuses at a heightened risk of becoming victims. Shockingly, most college students are stalked by someone they know, often fellow students. Educational institutions can play a vital role in preventing and addressing stalking incidents through comprehensive campus programs and thorough investigations.
Despite the prevalence of stalking, a significantly low percentage of victims choose to report the crime to the police. In 2019, only 29% of stalking victims reported their victimization. Many victims cited a lack of importance or urgency as the reason for not reporting. It is crucial to educate victims about the potential dangers associated with stalking and empower them to report incidents promptly.
Legal definitions of stalking vary across jurisdictions, but it is generally characterized as a pattern of behavior directed at a specific person that would cause fear in a reasonable individual. Stalking is considered a crime in all 50 states and at the federal level, emphasizing its dangerous and potentially lethal nature. Recognizing stalking as a serious offense is essential in enforcing the appropriate legal measures to protect victims and prevent further harm.
As we observe National Stalking Awareness Month in January 2024, it is crucial for individuals, communities, and institutions to rally together against this pervasive issue. By promoting awareness, providing support to victims, and holding stalkers accountable, we can strive towards a society free from the fear and harm caused by stalking.
Stalking is a serious crime that affects millions of individuals in the United States. As President Biden proclaims January 2024 as National Stalking Awareness Month, it is our collective responsibility to acknowledge the prevalence of stalking and work towards ending this alarming behavior. By fostering awareness, providing support to victims, and implementing effective prevention measures, we can create a safer environment for all.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Legislation proposed by Attorney General Dave Yost and introduced this week in the Ohio Senate seeks to protect children from ill-intentioned users of artificial intelligence.
Senate Bill 217, sponsored by Sens. Louis Blessing and Terry Johnson, targets the spread of AI-generated child pornography, a flagrant misuse of the technology that remains largely unregulated.
“Child pornography has long been outlawed in Ohio, but the unchecked rise of AI has created a gray area for predators to fuel their sick fantasies,” Yost said. “We need to act quickly to protect Ohio’s children by expanding existing child pornography laws to cover artificial intelligence.”
The legislation sponsors echoed the Attorney General’s urgency.
“Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool that can unfortunately be used in harmful and obscene ways,” Sen. Blessing said. “This legislation seeks to protect the safety and privacy of all Ohioans, especially our children, from misuse of this new technology.”
Added Sen. Johnson: “Protecting Ohio’s most vulnerable – our children – is more important than ever in a rapidly changing world. This bill creates safeguards for the use of AI, prioritizing the security of all Ohioans in a digital world.”
The measure would:
Make it a third-degree felony to create or distribute “simulated obscene material,” including depictions of minors. Buying or possessing such materials would be a fourth-degree felony.
Require content created by AI to include a distinct watermark, ensuring that viewers can distinguish between real and artificial materials. Removal of the watermark could result in civil action from the Attorney General or private citizens.
Mandate that online platforms and other content hosts take down AI-generated child pornography within 24 hours of being contacted by the Attorney General. A civil penalty of up to $1,000 per day could be levied against those who fail to remove the materials.
Criminalize the unauthorized use of modified or fabricated versions of a person’s voice or likeness for malicious purposes.
Currently, ill-intentioned users of AI technology can create images of child sex abuse by simply typing a short description of what they want to see. The technology can superimpose the face of one person onto the body of another, creating deepfake images that combine photos of victimized children with photos of otherwise unvictimized children.
In September, Yost and every other state attorney general in the nation urged Congress to act swiftly to address the “new frontier for abuse” created by artificial intelligence.
(Columbus) – The Ohio AMBER Alert Advisory Committee is announcing a recent change to how the public will receive notifications when Ohio’s AMBER Alert system is activated. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs), which are emergency messages that are broadcast to enabled mobile devices, are now capable of transmitting 360-character text messages in addition to the traditional 90-character text messages. This change is due to increased technology by both wireless carriers and wireless device manufacturers.
Traditional 90-character messages are limited to including basic vehicle information and notification for device users to check local media outlets for additional details. The increase in characters allows public safety officials to provide more in-depth details on the suspect(s), victim(s), vehicle(s), and other urgent information when an AMBER Alert is activated. Furthermore, the changes enable a URL that redirects the device user to Ohio’s AMBER Alert website or other social media for additional information. Once redirected, the user will be able to see all information regarding the AMBER Alert as well as any available photos.
An important fact to remember is that some older wireless devices or certain wireless carriers may only allow devices to receive 90-character messages. Both a 90-character message and a 360-character message will be sent out during an AMBER Alert notification; however, users will only receive the version of the alert supported by their device and carrier. Devices that are not capable of receiving the new 360-character message will automatically receive the default 90-character message as they have in the past.
An example of the new 360-character messaging format wireless device users can expect to see is below:
AMBER Alert: Columbus OH. 2008 red 4 door Honda Civic OH ABC1234. Victim, 3, white male, brown hair, blue shirt, blue shorts. Suspect, John Doe, 41, white male, blonde hair, red shirt, jeans. Last seen at 1234 Main Street, Columbus. If you see the child, suspect or vehicle, please call 911 or 1-877-AMBER-OH. https://www.ohioamberplan.org
The Ohio AMBER Alert Advisory Committee is comprised of representatives from the Ohio Emergency Management Agency, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Department of Transportation, Attorney General’s Office – BCI, Missing Persons Unit, State Emergency Communications Committee, Buckeye State Sheriff’s Association, Ohio Association of Chief’s of Police, Ohio Association of Broadcasters, a victim’s advocate, a community member and a representative from a local/regional AMBER plan.
Milan Twp – The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Sandusky Post is investigating a two-vehicle crash that occurred on Monday January 22, 2024 at approximately 6:48 AM. The crash was on US 250 just south of SR 113 in Milan Township, Erie County.
Shawn Martz, age 36, of Norwalk, Ohio, was driving a 2012 GMC Pick-Up truck and was travelling northbound on US 250. He was wearing his safety belt at the time of the crash and was transported to Fisher Titus Emergency Room in Norwalk with unknown injuries.
Michael Opfer, age 60, of Sandusky, Ohio, was driving a 2020 Chevy SUV and was travelling southbound on US 250. He was not wearing his safety belt at the time of the crash and was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Shawn Martz was northbound on US 250. Michael Opfer was southbound on US 250 and went left of center striking Shawn Martz, causing him to go off the west side of the roadway and strike a cement barrier.
No charges have been filed and the crash remains under investigation.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted by the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, Milan Police Department, the Ohio Department of Transportation, and Wilson’s Towing.
Marion – Troopers from the Marion Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol are investigating a fatal crash that occurred on January 20, 2024, at approximately 12:21 PM, on US23 at Newmans Cardington Road, in Marion County.
The crash involved a 2003 Lincoln Town Car driven by Richard A. Roads, age 94, of Marion, Ohio. The second vehicle involved was a 2024 Kenworth T680 semi-truck driven by Michael Duane Arnold, age 63, of Frankfort, Ohio.
The preliminary investigation indicates Mr. Arnold was traveling southbound on US23 in the left lane. Mr. Roads was also traveling southbound on US23 in the right lane, approaching the intersection of Newmans Cardington Road.
Mr. Roads attempted to turn left onto Newmans Cardington Road from the right lane and was struck by Mr. Arnold’s semi. Mr. Roads traveled off the left side of the roadway after impact and struck a traffic sign and a ditch before coming to final rest.
Mr. Arnold also traveled off the left side of the road and struck a ditch and overturned before it entered the northbound lanes of US23 where it came to rest.
Mr. Roads was transported from the scene by Fort Morrow EMS to Marion General Hospital, and from there was transported to Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Roads was later pronounced deceased.
Mr. Arnold sustained minor injuries and was transported from the scene by Marion Township EMS to Marion General Hospital. Both occupants were wearing their seat-belts at the time of the crash.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Marion Township Fire and EMS, Fort Morrow Fire and EMS, Pleasant Township Fire and EMS, Ohio Department of Transportation, Liverpool Towing, and Precision Towing.
Erie Twp – The Sandusky Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a single vehicle crash that occurred on Friday January 19, 2024 on State Route 2 just east of W. Camp Perry Western in Erie Township, Ottawa County. The time of the crash remains undetermined at this time.
Jeff Bauer, age 59, of Castalia, Ohio, was driving a 2013 Ford F-150, and was heading eastbound on SR 2 near W Camp Perry Western Rd. Mr. Bauer’s vehicle ran off the right side of SR 2 and continued through a farm field, paintball range, and into a tree line. His vehicle struck many paintball range obstacles and two trees before coming to rest.
Mr. Bauer was not wearing a safety belt at the time of the crash. Mr. Bauer died as a result of the crash.
Alcohol and/or drugs are not believed to be a factor in the crash. The crash remains under investigation.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted by the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, Erie Township EMS, Ottawa County Coroner’s Office, and Ken’s Towing.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — The leader of a human trafficking ring that operated in central Ohio has been sentenced to 14 years in prison, Attorney General Dave Yost announced today.
The sentencing of Marcus Carmon, 40, follows his guilty pleas in November to felony charges of compelling prostitution, having weapons under disability and possession of drugs. Carmon also must register as a Tier II sex offender after his release from prison.
Marcus Carmon
“Traffickers and their evil ways of manipulation have no place in a civilized society,” Yost said. “Removing them from our communities keeps everyone safer and clears a path for survivors to reach the Highway to Hope.”
A Franklin County grand jury indicted Carmon and two accomplices in August 2020 following an investigation by the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, part of the attorney general’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission.
The investigation revealed that Carmon targeted vulnerable women who were fighting addiction, exploiting them through prostitution for his financial gain. Evidence showed he used threats, drugs and physical violence to gain control and manipulate his victims.
Carmon’s co-defendant Bradley Powell was sentenced in 2022 to 708 days in prison with full credit for time served after pleading guilty to promoting prostitution. The second co-defendant, Anthony Dunn, pleaded guilty to promoting prostitution in 2020 and is awaiting sentencing. Attorneys with the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office prosecuted the cases.
The Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force consists of representatives from the Columbus Division of Police, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, the Licking County Sheriff’s Office, the Powell Police Department, the Ohio State University Police Department, the Marysville Police Department, the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office, the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, Southeast Healthcare and the Salvation Army.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted released the following statements after Chief Judge Algenon L. Marbley, the United States District Judge for the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, granted tech lobbying group NetChoice’s request to temporarily stop the Social Media Parental Notification Act from being enforced beginning January 15 while their request for a preliminary injunction is pending. NetChoice represents Meta and other social media giants.
“I supported the Social Media Parental Notification Act because parents should have a role in their children’s social media use,” said Governor DeWine. “The negative effects that social media sites and apps have on our children’s mental health have been well documented, and this law was one way to empower parents to have a role in their kids’ digital lives. I am disappointed in this injunction and hope it will be lifted as the case further proceeds so these important protections for children can take effect.”
“I’m very disappointed in today’s ruling,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “The big-tech companies behind this lawsuit were included in the legislative process to make sure the law was clear and easy to implement, but now they claim the law is unclear. They were disingenuous participants in the process and have no interest in protecting children.”
The Social Media Parental Notification Act requires certain online companies to obtain verifiable parental consent to contractual terms of service before permitting kids under the age of 16 to use their platforms. This proposal was championed by Lt. Governor Husted, passed by the General Assembly, and signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine as part of the 2023-24 executive budget and was to take effect on January 15, 2024.
The law also includes a requirement for companies to provide parents with their privacy guidelines to show them what will be censored or moderated content on their child’s profile.
About the Social Media Parental Notification Act:
Companies must:
Create a method to determine whether the user is a child under the age of 16.
Obtain verifiable parental or legal guardian consent.
Send written confirmation of the consent to the parent or legal guardian.
If the user indicates that they are under the age of 16, the following methods can be used for verification:
Sign a digital form consenting to the terms of service.
Use a credit card, debit card, or other online payment system.
Call a toll-free telephone number.
Connect to trained personnel via video-conference.
Check a form of government-issued identification.
Who this includes:
Social media and online gaming/activities companies accessed by children
Who this does NOT include:
E-commerce: Online shopping
Media outlets
If a parent or legal guardian fails or refuses to consent to the terms of service, the company must deny access or use of the online website, online service, online product, or online feature by the child. In cases in which operators fail to provide notification or a parent wishes to terminate a child’s access, parents should contact the website operator who then has 30 days to terminate the child’s access. If parents are unsuccessful in the account being deleted, they are encouraged to file a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at OhioProtects.org.
UPDATE: The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation has positively identified the victim in this case through fingerprint analysis. The victim has been identified as 40-year-old Darcy Hooper of South Fulton, Tennessee.
Investigation into this matter is on-going.
At 4:30pm on January 5. 2024, the Marion County Central Dispatch Center received a 911 call from a citizen reporting that a possible deceased female was located in a drainage ditch in the 3000 block of Harding Highway East in Marion County.
Upon the arrival of deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, it was confirmed that the female was deceased and was laying, partially submerged, in a drainage ditch. The remains were partially decomposed and could not be immediately identified.
The victim’s body will be sent to the Lucas County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy to determine the cause of death and assistance with her identification.
Sheriff Bayles would like to thank Ohio BCI, the First Consolidated Fire Department, the Marion County Coroner’s Office and the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance in this case.
Investigation is ongoing and anyone with any information pertaining to this matter may contact Captain Ken Rittenour of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office at 740-382-8244.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Legislation proposed by Attorney General Dave Yost and introduced this week in the Ohio Senate seeks to protect children from ill-intentioned users of artificial intelligence.
(Columbus) – The Ohio AMBER Alert Advisory Committee is announcing a recent change to how the public will receive notifications when Ohio’s AMBER Alert system is activated. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs), which are emergency messages that are broadcast to enabled mobile devices, are now capable of transmitting 360-character text messages in addition to the traditional 90-character text messages. This change is due to increased technology by both wireless carriers and wireless device manufacturers.
Milan Twp – The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Sandusky Post is investigating a two-vehicle crash that occurred on Monday January 22, 2024 at approximately 6:48 AM. The crash was on US 250 just south of SR 113 in Milan Township, Erie County.
Marion – Troopers from the Marion Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol are investigating a fatal crash that occurred on January 20, 2024, at approximately 12:21 PM, on US23 at Newmans Cardington Road, in Marion County.
Erie Twp – The Sandusky Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a single vehicle crash that occurred on Friday January 19, 2024 on State Route 2 just east of W. Camp Perry Western in Erie Township, Ottawa County. The time of the crash remains undetermined at this time.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — The leader of a human trafficking ring that operated in central Ohio has been sentenced to 14 years in prison, Attorney General Dave Yost announced today.
Law was to go into effect January 15, 2024
Joe Lyons •
January 30, 2024
UPDATE: The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation has positively identified the victim in this case through fingerprint analysis. The victim has been identified as 40-year-old Darcy Hooper of South Fulton, Tennessee.