American Fork Police: Lego Raid Lawsuit Alleges Civil Rights Violations

• Four individuals have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of American Fork and 13 police officers.
• The lawsuit alleges 19 civil rights violations, including false arrest and excessive force, stemming from an investigation into a $200,000 Lego collection.
• Plaintiffs claim officers fabricated or embellished a search warrant affidavit for an armed raid on their Airbnb.
• During the March 11, 2026, raid, all occupants, including a minor, were detained at gunpoint.
• Despite multiple detentions and the armed raid, no criminal charges were ultimately filed against the plaintiffs.

The plaintiffs' allegations of a fabricated warrant affidavit for the stolen Lego search warrant challenge and the subsequent armed Airbnb raid constitutional violations underscore the potential for severe abuses of power.

A federal civil rights lawsuit was filed today against the City of American Fork, Utah, and thirteen of its police officers and detectives, alleging a pattern of harassment and constitutional violations culminating in an armed raid on an Airbnb. The plaintiffs, three Utah residents and one Illinois resident, were assisting YouTube journalist Benjamin Schneider in an investigation into a disputed $200,000 Lego collection. Schneider was probing claims that a collectible reseller, Joshua Johnson, had retained a family's consigned Lego collection without payment, and the plaintiffs were attempting to serve court papers to Johnson as part of this civil action.

The alleged harassment began on March 8 when Officer Cole Richardson stopped plaintiff Tyler Shaw's vehicle, claiming a stop sign violation. Attorney Solomon Radner, representing the plaintiffs, stated that Shaw did not commit this infraction, a fact later conceded by the police chief. The following evening, Shaw was again stopped by police and detained for approximately two hours. During this second stop, Officer Steven Hawkins reportedly administered a sobriety test and searched Shaw's car for drugs, despite Shaw registering .000 on a breathalyzer. Hawkins was recorded expressing an intent to "scare" Shaw before the tests, and a drug detection dog was subsequently called, which officers claimed alerted to potential drugs. Separately, plaintiff Sierra Lauts was also detained by Officers Luke Sumbot and Tayler Somerville while attempting to lawfully serve court papers to Johnson on a public street, with police confirming the authenticity of the documents.

The situation escalated dramatically on March 11, 2026, when American Fork Police Department officers executed a search warrant on the Airbnb rental where the plaintiffs were staying. This armed raid, which the plaintiffs describe as a "no-knock" entry, involved a "cadre of police officers with guns drawn, including an assault rifle," detaining every occupant, including a minor, at gunpoint. The stated purpose of the warrant was to search for "stolen Legos." However, the plaintiffs contend that officers did not actually search the premises for Lego merchandise but instead focused on detaining and searching the individuals, seizing some of their property, and transporting them to the police station. Ultimately, no criminal charges were filed against any of the plaintiffs.

The lawsuit brings nineteen distinct civil rights claims against the city and the named officers, encompassing allegations of false arrest, unreasonable seizure of property, violations of free speech, and excessive force. A central accusation is that officers fabricated or recklessly embellished the affidavit used to secure the search warrant for the Airbnb raid. Attorney Solomon Radner emphasized that the plaintiffs' activities—assisting a journalist and serving court papers—are "lawful, constitutionally protected activities." He asserted that despite this, their constitutional rights were "repeatedly violated" through detention, handcuffing, searching, arrest, and interrogation, without any criminal charges being brought.

Radner characterized the armed Airbnb raid as "the most dangerous, the most egregious and the most outrageous thing that took place during this entire episode." He highlighted the discrepancy between the alleged purpose of the warrant—searching for stolen Legos—and the officers' actions during the raid, which primarily involved detaining and processing the individuals rather than conducting a thorough search for the purported contraband. The attorney further criticized the police conduct during the earlier traffic stops and detentions, describing them as "completely baseless and unlawful," particularly given the admission that Tyler Shaw did not run a stop sign and the lack of any charges following the extensive detentions.

This Utah police civil rights lawsuit against the American Fork Police Department raises significant concerns regarding police conduct during investigations and the execution of search warrants, particularly in cases involving alleged false arrest excessive force Utah. The plaintiffs' allegations of a fabricated warrant affidavit for the stolen Lego search warrant challenge and the subsequent armed Airbnb raid constitutional violations underscore the potential for severe abuses of power. The attorney, Solomon Radner American Fork police critic, warned that such actions could lead to tragic outcomes, stating, "This is how people can end up getting killed."

The case highlights the importance of constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, as well as the right to due process. The fact that no charges were filed against the plaintiffs, despite multiple detentions and an armed raid, strongly suggests, according to their legal representation, that no crimes were committed. This American Fork police Lego raid lawsuit serves as a stark reminder of the potential for law enforcement actions to infringe upon fundamental liberties, even when individuals are engaged in legally protected activities like assisting with civil litigation. The outcome of this case could set important precedents for police accountability and the standards for obtaining and executing search warrants in Utah and beyond.

This lawsuit highlights critical issues for civil rights attorneys regarding police conduct during search warrant executions and detentions, particularly concerning potential fabrication of affidavits and violations of constitutional rights like false arrest and excessive force. It serves as a precedent to watch for challenging law enforcement actions and for compliance officers to review training on constitutional protections during investigations.

Source: Original reporting via Courthouse News