An Illinois man, aged 73, got slammed with a five-year prison sentence for his failed arson attempt at a future reproductive health clinic, as per official statements released by federal authorities. Philip J. Buyno of Prophetstown, the man in question, received this sentence after admitting to driving his car, stocked with gasoline and incendiaries into the building located at 600 N. Logan Avenue in Danville, which was being refitted as a clinic.
The alarming incident which unfolded in the early hours of May 20, 2023, saw local police responding to an alarm and discovering Buyno trapped in his maroon Volkswagen Passat, which he had rammed into the clinic's entrance. FBI agents who searched the vehicle found an alarming arsenal including gasoline-filled bottles, a hatchet, road flares, aged tires, and matches, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of Illinois reported.
Besides his prison term, U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce imposed three years of supervised release and ordered Buyno to cough up $327,547.14 in restitution for damages incurred, Buyno, apprehended on the crime day, had been in custody ever since.
Condemning the attack, U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris asserted, "Our office strongly condemns the defendant’s attempt to prevent women in our community from accessing important reproductive health services," adding their dedication to prosecuting similar crimes and appreciation for law enforcement's work in the case, the clinic warriors of the law were heralded by FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz emphasized the agency's role in defending First Amendment rights but underscored that legality bounds must not be broken, stating, "The FBI will always protect First Amendment rights, but when someone crosses the line from expressing beliefs to violating federal law, we will work to hold them accountable," as stated in the government's prosecution documentation.
The committed offense could've carried up to a twenty-year sentence alongside a fine maxing out at $250,000, the press release details. The investigation, a combined force effort courtesy of the FBI's Springfield Field Office and the Danville Police Department brought to light this blatant act of violence aimed at halting the operational onset of reproductive healthcare services.
