The man accused of setting Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence on fire in April was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in state prison as part of a plea deal.
Cody Balmer, 38, pleaded guilty to attempted murder, aggravated arson, 22 counts of arson, burglary, and other offenses at a court hearing on Tuesday.
While the official residence in the state capital of Harrisburg was severely damaged during the fire, people home at the time - including Shapiro, his wife, his four children, and guests and staff members - were able to escape unscathed.
Shapiro said his family was supportive of the plea agreement announced by prosecutors.
The attack against the governor and his family is part of a wave of political violence in the US, which includes the attempted kidnapping of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and various assassination attempts against political figures.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Shapiro stated his family has had to lean on their faith as they navigated a difficult recovery since the attack, remarking, “We will forever be changed by this; we know that time will heal, but the scars will remain.”
Balmer was accused of breaking into the governor's residence and setting it on fire on the second day of Passover, following a celebration hosted by Shapiro the night before.
According to Pennsylvania State Police, Balmer confessed to creating Molotov cocktails using petrol from a lawn mower. He surrendered to authorities 13 hours after the incident and expressed a desire to harm the governor, stating he would have beaten Shapiro with a hammer if confronted.
Shapiro has served as Pennsylvania's governor since 2023 and has been mentioned as a potential future presidential candidate.
