Cody Balmer, 38, has pleaded guilty to multiple charges after setting fire to the home of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro during Passover night in April.
Investigators said Balmer acted out of political motives, targeting Shapiro over what he described as the governor’s “pro-Israel stance” during the Gaza war. The fire caused extensive damage to the property, though no one was injured.
Prosecutors described the incident as a politically motivated hate crime and emphasized the danger posed to Shapiro’s family and neighbors.
Balmer is expected to serve between 25 and 50 years in prison under the plea deal, marking one of the harshest sentences handed down in recent years for a politically driven arson attack in the United States.