Ben Schneider (Reckless Ben)

AFPD responded to a complaint about a package delivery and filming near a residence. The March 8 report records that Ben, Tyler Shaw, and videographer Benjamin Adams received trespass notices and were released without criminal charges.

Tonga interviewed Benjamin Adams, reviewed his camera roll with consent, and photographed relevant text messages. He then spoke with Ben and Tyler Shaw at the vehicle stop and issued trespass notices. His account appears on pages 5–7 of the incident report.

Richardson stopped the vehicle driven by Tyler Shaw, with Ben as a passenger. His supplement says he observed stop-sign violations, took no action on those traffic offenses, and turned the investigation over to Tonga. See page 8.

According to a rough app transcript of a later interview, Chief Cameron Paul said Richardson had misremembered the stop-sign statute and that he did not believe a stop-sign violation occurred. Paul said the department reviewed the statute with Richardson. He maintained that another basis for the stop existed, but deferred explaining that basis until he could consult his findings.

The department’s released camera inventory identifies Strong’s recording for this incident. The written incident report does not separately describe her individual actions.

The dashcam shows Shaw’s car pause before turning left, around 13:13:32–33, contrary to the report’s claim that he did not stop completely. The required stopping location is a separate question. John Bryan also questions why the occupants remained detained for Tonga after Richardson said he was giving a verbal warning.

A complaint about Christian Morgan’s visit to the residence led to another stop involving Ben and Tyler Shaw. Hawkins’ report records a vehicle search that found nothing of note or substance.

Hawkins spoke with Christian Morgan and issued a trespass warning, then stopped the vehicle associated with the visit. He conducted sobriety tests on Tyler Shaw, requested a police-dog sniff, and searched the vehicle with Fraughton. The report records a .000 breath-test result and release from the scene. See pages 6–9.

Fraughton assisted with identification and assessing the driver for impairment. He handled police dog Bane during the vehicle sniff and reported an alert, then helped Hawkins search the vehicle. See pages 6–8.

Bibeau is listed as a responding officer on page 1 and is identified in the released camera inventory. The written report does not provide a separate narrative of his individual actions.

Mecham is listed as a responding officer on page 1. A separate account of what he personally did has not been located, so no more specific action is assigned to him here.

John Bryan’s review highlights officers discussing frightening the occupants and whether they had charges or were simply tired of the group being annoying. He also questions whether the dog sniff extended the stop. The report records a .000 breath test and a search that found nothing of note; an empty search alone does not prove the dog failed to alert.

Hawkins’ report acknowledges that his body-camera microphone was muted during part of the investigation, limiting the audio available to check his account.

Ben was arrested on proposed charges of stalking and targeted residential picketing. The records distinguish the arresting officer from the officers who transported him to AFPD and then to jail.

Sumbot investigated the complaint and spoke with Ben about serving civil papers. He contacted the Marion County Circuit Court, which confirmed that the case was valid and filed but had no date set. He then arrested, handcuffed, and searched Ben, and the sign was booked into evidence. See pages 10–12.

Pitt spoke with the complainant, Joshua Johnson, and contacted a Sandy police officer about related incidents. After Sumbot arrested Ben, Pitt transported him to AFPD to wait for transport to jail. See pages 11–13.

Valadez transported Ben from AFPD to Utah County Jail and signed the March 10 probable-cause affidavit. The incident report and booking sheet identify Sumbot as the arresting officer. See page 12 of the report and page 2 of the affidavit.

Canizalez is listed as a responding officer on page 1 and is identified in the released camera inventory. The report does not contain a separate narrative assigning him a specific arrest or transport action.

Somerville is listed as a responding officer on page 1 and has recordings in the released camera inventory. The report does not contain his own supplemental narrative, so his individual actions are not described more narrowly here.

The report confirms that the Oregon court told Sumbot the civil case was valid and filed (page 10). This is important context alongside any claim that no genuine court case existed.

This encounter took place before the evening Airbnb operation. The reports describe the sign, the GoFundMe explanation, Sheldon Norcross’s phone seizure, and his arrest. The officers’ accounts and Norcross’s explanation differ about his handling of the phone.

Richardson questioned the group about the sign and fundraiser, checked with neighboring property owners, and told Sheldon he intended to seize his phone. Richardson’s account says he and Adamson believed Sheldon was trying to destroy evidence. He grabbed Sheldon’s right arm, helped restrain and handcuff him, searched him, and transported him to AFPD. See pages 8–9 and 18.

Adamson contacted the property owner about the sign, removed it after she withdrew permission, and gave it to Richardson as evidence. He helped seize Sheldon’s phone and moved his arm into a cuffing position while Richardson applied the handcuffs. Adamson’s report records Sheldon saying he was trying to lock the phone; Nicosia’s interview records Sheldon saying he pressed the power button to black out the screen, not delete anything. See pages 14–16 and 18.

At the October 14, 2026 lawsuit press conference, plaintiffs’ attorney Solomon Radner alleged that Lieutenant Quinn Adamson cut down and seized the GoFundMe sign from a neighbor’s fence on March 11. Radner said the neighbor initially permitted the sign and alleged that police pressured her to withdraw that permission before removing it. This is the plaintiffs’ attorney’s allegation, not a court finding.

Neil is listed among the responding officers on page 1 and is identified in the released camera inventory. The written report does not include a separate supplement explaining his individual actions during the afternoon encounter.

Richardson records that Sheldon declined to answer questions before he decided to seize the phone (page 8). Sheldon’s explanation that he was locking it is recorded by both Adamson and Nicosia. The report does not identify evidence deleted from the phone.

After Richardson transported Sheldon Norcross to AFPD, Detective Nicosia interviewed him about the phone encounter, the fundraiser, and his involvement with Ben. Nicosia’s supplement summarizes this recorded interview on pages 18–23; it is not a verbatim transcript.

Nicosia noted that Sheldon had declined to speak with the patrol officers. His supplement records an initial discussion, a break, and a further Miranda warning, after which Sheldon agreed to continue. Nicosia asked about the fundraiser, Ben’s involvement, and the phone. He brought the phone into the interview room and had Sheldon demonstrate how the lock button opened Apple Wallet.

Sheldon said he had pressed the power button to close Apple Wallet and lock the screen, not delete evidence. He said taking the lead on the filming was his own decision so Ben would avoid further trouble after the previous arrest. He described a plan to film for about an hour, promote the GoFundMe, and leave, with permission from the neighbor to hang the sign. These are Sheldon’s explanations as recorded in Nicosia’s report.

Richardson’s warrant affidavit was sworn at 5:11 p.m., and the warrant was signed at 5:37 p.m. Officers then served it at the Airbnb. Five people were taken to AFPD for questioning. The warrant return records that Ben was arrested and no items were seized under the warrant.

Richardson requested the warrant and wrote the operation plan. His supplement identifies the entry order and assigns Adamson to the perimeter. During the operation, Richardson covered the doorway with his patrol rifle while Tonga called people outside and placed them in handcuffs. See page 11 and the warrant packet.

Richardson’s plan assigned Laycock to lead the entry team. The report says Laycock led officers to the basement entrance. Tonga’s supplement records escorting Ben to Laycock’s police vehicle for transport to AFPD. See pages 11 and 17.

Tonga assisted with serving the warrant, calling people outside, and detaining them. His supplement records handcuffing and searching a man and escorting Ben to Laycock’s vehicle for transport to AFPD. See pages 11 and 17.

Richardson’s operation plan places Gonzalez on the entry team after Tonga. His participation is also represented in the released camera files. The written report does not give him a separate supplemental narrative. See page 11.

Richardson’s plan places Jensen on the entry team after Gonzalez. The camera inventory also identifies his recording for this incident. The report does not provide his own account of individual arrests or searches. See page 11.

Richardson’s plan places Sgt. Lott at the rear of the entry team. The released camera inventory also identifies his recording. The report does not contain a separate narrative of his individual actions. See page 11.

Adamson’s supplement says he surveyed the Airbnb location before the operation and later served the homeowner with a copy of the warrant. Richardson assigned him to the perimeter. His recorded calls and texts also show him updating Chief Paul and Sgt. Stowers about the operation and coordinating the detainees’ movement to AFPD. See pages 11 and 16 and the linked recording analysis.

Adamson’s recorded communications identify Chief Paul as receiving an update about the warrant operation and the people in custody. Only Adamson’s side of the call is recorded; it does not establish that Paul ordered a particular arrest or use of force.

Adamson’s recorded texts and call identify Sgt. Stowers as receiving updates about the operation and the plans for detainees at AFPD. The recording does not establish Stowers’ own instructions.

The warrant describes a search for allegedly stolen LEGO merchandise, while the operation plan describes apprehending Ben. No items were seized under the warrant. Attorney Brandon Grable questions the connection between the evidence sought and the operation conducted.

After the afternoon encounter and Airbnb operation, the records describe interviews at AFPD. Nicosia’s report records that Sheldon, Steven, Sierra, and Tyler were released. Ben was taken to jail on a further stalking allegation.

Nicosia interviewed Ben and the other people brought from the Airbnb. His report records their explanations and the later release of the four others. He told Ben he was under arrest for another stalking charge. The March 11 probable-cause statement explicitly says Nicosia wrote it. See pages 23–30 of the report and page 2 of the statement.

Tonga handcuffed Ben after the interviews, transported him to Utah County Jail, and booked him there. The March 11 probable-cause statement identifies Tonga as the submitting officer. See pages 17 and 30 of the report and page 2 of the statement.

The booking sheet lists Richardson as the arresting officer. The supplements separately describe Tonga’s later handcuffing, jail transport, and booking. These entries record different parts of the encounter and are kept distinct here.

The four later releases do not explain the initial grounds for each person’s restraint and transport to AFPD. Grable identifies those individual grounds as a central concern in assessing the treatment of the Airbnb occupants.

A later supplement in the March 10 case records a prosecutor’s request to collect online videos relevant to the investigation.

On May 26, Sumbot forwarded Nicosia a request from prosecutor Russell Farr to download relevant YouTube and Patreon material. He supplied the account links. See page 15 of the March 10 report.

On May 27, Nicosia downloaded two videos from Ben’s YouTube account and added them to the case files. His supplement does not say he downloaded Patreon material. See page 15.

Clearly Established · 26:46 · October 17, 2026. Daniel Sroka discusses his two meetings with Chief Cameron Paul, including the chief’s changed assessment of the arrests and search warrant, his acknowledgment of mistakes, and public accountability. The video also features interviews with plaintiffs Sheldon Norcross and Steven Allen and their attorney, Solomon Radner.

Brother Counsel (trial lawyer Martin E. Radner) · 34:28 · October 14, 2026. Reaction to the live press conference about the lawsuit filed by four of Ben Schneider’s associates against American Fork City and 13 officers. Includes the plaintiffs’ and their attorneys’ statements, with legal commentary. Ben Schneider is not a plaintiff.

Original police recordings, organized by incident and officer, for checking the excerpts below. This link opens Internet Archive; the participant videos below are edited accounts.

Reckless Ben · 41:37 · May 30, 2026. Ben’s edited account of the vehicle stops, arrests, Airbnb operation, and questioning, with footage from the encounters.

Reckless Ben · 17:12 · June 1, 2026. Ben responds to Chief Paul’s statement and compares the department’s explanations with body-camera and dashcam footage.

Reckless Ben · 16:30 · June 4, 2026. Ben reviews newly available unredacted recordings and compares them with the earlier release. This is an edited selection with his commentary.

Tylers Production · 12:27 · May 31, 2026. Tyler Shaw gives his account of the stops, drug accusations, and detention, using encounter footage and an interview.

American Fork Police Department · 26:33 · May 30, 2026. Chief Cameron Paul presents the department’s explanation of the March 8–11 encounters and its reasons for the stops, arrests, and warrant.

Clearly Established · 41:54 · June 3, 2026. Brandon Grable compares the search warrant, probable-cause statement, and footage, and discusses the omitted civil-case verification and qualified immunity.

Clearly Established · 29:34 · June 5, 2026. Grable examines the Airbnb operation, handcuffing, transport to AFPD, and the grounds for detaining each occupant.

Clearly Established · 43:31 · June 15, 2026. Grable reviews released training records and discusses possible city liability. His legal conclusions are commentary; the released records may not represent every training an officer received.

Clearly Established · 10:29 · October 14, 2026. Commentary on the federal lawsuit filed by four people involved in the Reckless Ben encounters against American Fork and 13 officers. Discusses the complaint’s allegations; Ben Schneider is not a plaintiff.

LegalEagle · 59:01 · June 9, 2026. Legal commentary comparing the released body-camera footage with the explanations for the police actions and discussing potential rights violations.

America's Attorney · 17:17 · June 9, 2026. Josh Sanford compares the police reports, body-camera footage, and Ben’s account. A shorter introduction to the competing explanations.

ABC4 Utah · 3:52 · June 2, 2026. Local news report introducing the arrests and misconduct allegations, with encounter footage and the department’s response. Reports the situation as of June 2026.

America's Attorney · 0:31 · July 9, 2026. Brief legal commentary on whether Ben could bring a police-retaliation claim. Useful as an introduction, with fuller context in the longer videos and records.

America's Attorney · 0:42 · June 11, 2026. Very short introduction to the broader dispute. Background context rather than a detailed review of police conduct.