Utah Police Sued for Armed Raid Over Disputed $200K Lego Collection
Four plaintiffs sue Utah police over armed raid tied to Lego investigation.
Why it matters: The lawsuit highlights serious civil rights concerns about police conduct and the lawful execution of search warrants. It may impact standards for law enforcement accountability in investigations involving civil disputes.
- Four plaintiffs filed a federal lawsuit against American Fork and 13 officers on Oct 14, 2026.
- The suit alleges unlawful stops, searches, and a no-knock raid related to a $200,000 Lego collection dispute.
- Plaintiffs were detained at gunpoint during a March 11, 2026, no-knock search warrant execution at an Airbnb.
- Police Chief Cameron Paul initially defended the raid but later admitted misconduct in recorded meetings.
Four individuals assisting YouTube journalist Benjamin Schneider, aka 'Reckless Ben,' filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of American Fork and 13 police officers on October 14, 2026. The suit claims that between March 8 and March 11, 2026, the plaintiffs were subjected to unlawful stops, searches, and a no-knock armed raid connected to their investigation into a disputed $200,000 Lego collection.
On March 11, American Fork police executed a no-knock search warrant at the plaintiffs' Airbnb rental, detaining all occupants, including a minor, at gunpoint. According to the lawsuit, the search warrant affidavit was fabricated or recklessly embellished. The officers reportedly did not search for Lego merchandise but instead detained and searched the occupants and seized some of their property.
Prior to the raid, plaintiff Tyler Shaw was stopped on March 8 and 9 for sobriety tests and vehicle searches, which yielded no evidence of wrongdoing. Plaintiff Sierra Lauts was detained while attempting to serve court papers to Joshua Johnson, the individual accused of retaining the Lego collection without payment.
The plaintiffs were assisting Schneider in a civil action against Johnson, who allegedly closed his toy store rather than repay the family who consigned the Lego collection. While Police Chief Cameron Paul initially defended the officers' actions, he later admitted misconduct regarding the warrant and raid during recorded meetings.
Attorney Solomon Radner, representing the plaintiffs, stated, "They were detained, handcuffed, searched, arrested, and interrogated but not charged with any crimes because they did not commit any." He added, "This is how people can end up getting killed. This is not how a search warrant is supposed to go down, especially if you’re dealing with people whose only crime, supposedly, is stolen Legos." Radner emphasized the importance of police transparency and accountability in cases involving constitutional violations.
By the numbers:
- $200,000 — estimated value of the disputed Lego collection
- 13 — number of American Fork police officers named in the lawsuit
- 19 — civil rights claims alleged by the plaintiffs