Cody Balmer sentenced to 25 to 50 years for burning down Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s mansion

The sicko who admitted to torching Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s official residence in April was sentenced to 25 to 50 years behind bars after pleading guilty to the attack Tuesday.

Cody Balmer, 38, copped to 22 counts of arson, attempted murder, terrorism and other charges over the April 13 attempt to burn down Shapiro’s Harrisburg residence in the dead of night while 17 people — including children — were inside.

The attack took place on the second day of Passover. Shapiro and his family had performed the Seder the night before and were in the home — along with overnight guests and two state troopers on protective detail — when it was set on fire.

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All the occupants were evacuated safely.

The attack caused millions of dollars in damage to the residence, which was built in 1968 and was not equipped with sprinklers.

Balmer later admitted to police that he had intended to attack Shapiro with a mini-sledgehammer if he had come across the Democratic governor.

The firebug also told investigators that “he was concerned about the war in Gaza and the potential for many millions dying — his words,” according to Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo. “And he said, you know, even if I just have to take a life, I’m not crazy about having to take a life, but I will if it’s because of the millions endangered. So he viewed this as an offset to the the war in the Middle East.”

However, Balmer’s family claimed he had suffered manic episodes after he stopped taking medication for mental health issues and the suspect’s mother said she had tried to get him assistance but “nobody would help.”

Balmer himself denied a bigoted motive to the blaze, telling the Associated Press in a May letter the governor “can be Jewish, Muslim, or a purple people eater for all I care and as long as he leaves me and mine alone.”

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The arsonist did not elaborate on his grievances with Shapiro.

“It’s hard for me to stand before you today and utter the words, attempted murder, and it’s your own life, to know that someone tried to kill me,” Shapiro told reporters after Balmer’s sentencing. 

“It’s especially hard to know that he tried to burn our family to death while we slept,” he added. “I’ve carried with me this enormous sense of guilt. Guilt that doing this job that I love so much has put our children’s lives at risk.”

Security footage showed Balmer climbing an iron fence in the dead of night, slipping past police guards, smashing a window in the southern wing of the home and setting off what prosecutors described as homemade Molotov cocktails inside. 

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The fire charred walls, tables, buffet serving dishes, plates and a piano. Window panes and brick around doors and windows were also damaged.

“I think it’s important that in this time of rising political violence that none of us grow numb to it or accept this as the normal course of doing business for elected officials,” Shapiro stressed Tuesday. 

“Sadly, this made it all real, and it brings with it a real sense of vulnerability that our family feels every single day. I want you to know we are working through this,” he continued. “This is an ongoing thing that we are dealing with and we are working through.”

With Post wires