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Reckless Ben (Youtuber: Ben Schneider) vs Bricks and Minifigs and CEO Ammon McNeff - $200k in stolen LEGO - SWATTING by Mormon Police - Mexico arrest Avoidance - Major Lawsuits (Civil RICO)
In a rare move, a Utah judge has dismissed some criminal charges — for good — against a central suspect in the Utah County Sheriff’s Office investigation into decades-old allegations of satanic ritual sex abuse.
Fourth District Judge Roger Griffin on Thursday dismissed six felony sex abuse charges that prosecutors had filed against former therapist David Hamblin, stemming from allegations that he had sexually abused a girl who lived in his neighborhood in the 1980s. The judge tossed the case after finding that police and prosecutors withheld key evidence that could have helped Hamblin’s defense.
Judges at times will dismiss charges in criminal cases at a prosecutor’s request when issues come up with evidence or other challenges are made, but usually a judge will allow the case to be re-filed in the future. But Griffin on Thursday instead ordered that Hamblin’s charges be dismissed with prejudice, meaning that the charges can’t be brought again. Griffin noted in his 34-page ruling that it’s “rarely appropriate” for a judge to dismiss a case and not allow the chance for prosecutors to re-file it. But he said it was deserved here because it wouldn’t be possible for Hamblin to get a fair trial.
“This case is unusual for the quantity and quality of prosecutorial missteps that amount to more than a lack of preparedness by the prosecutor or garden-variety delays or mishandling a case …” Griffin wrote. “In short, this is that ‘rare’ case where dismissal with prejudice is warranted.”
Defense attorney Leah Ashton said in response to the judge’s ruling: “Mr. Hamblin appreciates the judge’s thoughtful, detailed, and thorough ruling, which unmasks and recognizes serious missteps in this case over several years.”
Not a ‘technicality’
The withheld evidence at the center of the case’s dismissal was a police report that Utah County Sheriff’s Office investigators had created after interviewing the alleged victim in September 2022.
According to court papers filed by Hamblin’s defense attorneys, the alleged victim in that interview “recounts in great detail” sex crimes that took place under the guise of a “satanic ritual” at a room in a local church. There was also some question, Griffin wrote in his ruling, about whether these allegations relied on “recovered memories” from therapy sessions — a controversial form of psychotherapy, according to the American Psychological Association.
This document was not turned over to Hamblin’s attorneys until the case had been pending for more than two years, and after a new prosecutor hired by the attorney general’s office took over the case. The criminal justice system requires police and prosecutors to give all evidence to a defendant, particularly anything that would help them defend themselves in court. But that didn’t happen in this case — and it’s not clear why the report was not given to Hamblin when the charges were initially filed two years earlier.
But Hamblin’s defense attorneys noted in a court filing that the report counters statements made by previous prosecutors on the case, who asserted that Hamblin’s alleged crimes were “not in the context of a satanic child abuse cult” but instead took place “in his own homes with perhaps only family members present.”
The revelation that this report had been withheld led to further evidence disclosures, including a 24-page report from Juab County — who helped investigate and prosecute the case — that outlined this alleged victim’s additional statements.
The Juab County report also included details of other interviews with those who knew the alleged victim and who “refute and dispel” allegations, according to a court filing from the defense, including an accusation that Hamblin “implanted or encouraged false memories of abuse in therapy.” That report, the defense said, cast doubt on the accusers’ credibility.
The judge wrote that an expert hired by Hamblin’s defense team had opined that the “ritual satanic sex abuse context of this case is a key weakness.” But that opinion lacked the strength it might have, the judge wrote, if there was more evidence to show that such abuse was part of the investigation. The police report that the state delayed to turn over “corroborated that a ritual satanic sex abuse allegation was in fact directly relevant to this case,” Griffin said. Knowing that, the judge said, could have led to the case being dismissed much earlier.
Griffin added in his ruling that what led to the dismissal was not a mere “technicality,” and it was not a decision he made lightly.
“Allegations like the ones raised in this case require careful scrutiny,” Griffin wrote. “Sexual abuse is abhorrent and elicits a sense of deep horror and revulsion. However, it is our respect for fundamental rights protected by our constitutions that requires that a criminally accused defendant be given a fair trial.”
A sergeant with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said Friday that there was no one working in the office who could respond to a reporter’s questions.
Other charges still pending
Hamblin’s legal issues haven’t entirely gone away, though. He still faces six child sex abuse charges in a separate case filed in Manti, where prosecutors allege he abused a young patient in therapy sessions.
His ex-wife, Roselle Stevenson, has also been charged in connection to the allegations from their former neighbor. Her attorneys have also filed a motion to dismiss, referencing the evidentiary issues in Hamblin’s case which was dismissed.
Prosecutors’ attempt to bring charges against Hamblin has faced a number of challenges, starting in late May 2022, when the Utah County Sheriff’s Office announced it had reopened an investigation into ritual sex abuse.
While the sheriff’s office didn’t not say who they were investigating, then-Utah County Attorney David Leavitt told reporters at a subsequent news conference that he and others were being targeted, and accused Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith and others of dredging up years-old, unverified witness statements that accused Leavitt, Hamblin and others of “cannibalizing young children” and participating in a “ritualistic” sex ring.
Leavitt, who was running for another term as county attorney that year, said that he believed those witness statements were being recirculated to hurt his chances of reelection.
Leavitt lost the election to the current county attorney, Jeff Gray — but because Leavitt spoke publicly about the case while still the elected county attorney, a judge barred the Utah County Attorney’s Office from prosecuting Hamblin’s case. Juab County Attorney Ryan Peters ended up filing three separate cases stemming from Utah County Sheriff’s Office investigation: two against Hamblin and one against his ex-wife.
But in October 2023, Peters was appointed to be a judge — and the now-dismissed Utah County case was momentarily without a prosecutor. Gray tried to take over, but Griffin wouldn’t allow it, agreeing with the defense that there was a possible conflict, since Gray ran a successful campaign to replace Leavitt and Leavitt had claimed the investigation was politically motivated.
So the Utah Attorney General’s Office hired an outside prosecutor, Nathan Evershed, to step in. Last month, he asked Griffin to dismiss the charges, telling the judge that he had reviewed the case and determined there was not a “reasonable likelihood” he could secure a conviction.
The Utah County Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the judge’s ruling; Juab County prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This seems really gay and I want that Ben faggot killed for being annoying. Like half of this seems like small town cop bullshit and one mouthy retard (Ben) intentionally lying about various aspects of shit. I am not paying attention to this much, but it looks more like retards being scammed and ultimately everyone involved should be killed.
It’s a scam franchise and I hate any adult that plays with Legos because now I can’t buy cheap gifts for my nieces and nephews.
This seems really gay and I want that Ben faggot killed for being annoying. Like half of this seems like small town cop bullshit and one mouthy retard (Ben) intentionally lying about various aspects of shit. I am not paying attention to this much, but it looks more like retards being scammed and ultimately everyone involved should be killed.
It’s a scam franchise and I hate any adult that plays with Legos because now I can’t buy cheap gifts for my nieces and nephews.
Clearly they thought they had a good thing going here and a YouTuber pushing without any fear really threw a wrench into the whole thing.
If we recall, BAM and an outside PR firm sent out emails to their franchises explaining how the online news cycle works. It just so happens Ben had a ton of momentum and their assumptions were incorrect. If they take him out of the equation, I think they believe they can follow that same playbook of using canned responses and waiting for it to all blow over. I would prefer it if it didn't.
I would say at this point I would not be surprised if people continue to put pressure on the unaffiliated franchises and suppliers in retaliation for this.
Asmongold TV: "The unredacted footing is even worse.."
29:19
Asmonglod has covered Reckless Ben's situation. This video is about the redacted footage that shows the police taking orders and being told the law by a unethical toy store owner.
Thank God for 2nd hand reporting. I tried on multiple occasions to stomach these videos raw and couldn't because this guy talks like a Minecraft YouTuber for zoomer babies.
I was exploring BAM Franchising, Inc. on LinkedIn and found a funny snippet on the Marketing Director's, Katelyn Fagan's LinkedIn [no archive because LinkedIn is shit]
This seems really gay and I want that Ben faggot killed for being annoying. Like half of this seems like small town cop bullshit and one mouthy retard (Ben) intentionally lying about various aspects of shit. I am not paying attention to this much, but it looks more like retards being scammed and ultimately everyone involved should be killed.
It’s a scam franchise and I hate any adult that plays with Legos because now I can’t buy cheap gifts for my nieces and nephews.
In this video Ben has a very trying conversation with Youtube Technical support. They are screwing with his video and have manipulated it so it has blur spots that will make people not want to watch it. Ben is trying get the bad blurs removed. The support keeps telling him it's impossible. It's a very common experience with Indian companies. They will give you this line about help and be all super polite, but they are completely inept and recalcitrantly defiant to actually do anything other than placate you and not help. Ben takes this to it's logical conclusion, and argues that it's not impossible using hyperbole. These Indians are not sincere. It's an act they do at their jobs being all polite. Ben is clearly intelligent, so he knows this, but it still funny and humanising to share in his frustration.
"This is very simple. The world is sick. And We are the doctors. World is anemic. We are the vitamin. The world is weary. We are the strength. We are here to make the world healthy once more, with hard work, with honesty, with clarity, with decency. We are the product of the loving mothers and brave fathers. We are the embodiment love and bravery. We are the gift of both God and Science. We are the answer to the question. We are the promise delivered to all man kind. For that we raise your hand to one nation. We step to the beat of one dumb. We march to the beat of one heart."
Is there any snag with the TRO and another Youtuber opening a legal defense fund for Ben in his name? Can he accept that money or does that cause more problems?
I despise Mustafar and Moister, but they're at least useful to signal boost shit like this
Someone posted about Coffeezilla going over the collection's value or something, and IMO it's not as important. Whether it's $200k or $200, it's been essentially stolen either way. It's damning for BAM that they completely refused to investigate the matter when approached by Bryan, because that's simply how they conduct business (scam people). They had no intention to return his property to him.
So that changes nothing. It might be confused and retarded, but at the end of the day it's all the same.
You can say that about the Oregon department because they were getting tired of getting called to the store over and over again to deal with Ben's shenanigans. But the Utah cops were going way above that, especially with the terry stop and 2 hour drug search explicitly to intimidate, improper redaction of body cam footage, seizing property without warrants, raiding them guns at the ready, arresting the whole group with no clear cause, and trying to hold him without bail. Ben and co are retards (especially for talking to cops without a lawyer) but feds really need to take a look at that department.
, I don't think Ben is going to win. I also think BAM is fucked. I think both have been fucking retarded, but now that it's in court, with so much video on both ends, I don't see how either side wins. I've seen enough lolsuits to know how this ends.
