FBI seizes fully constructed US Capitol Lego set from alleged rioter's home

Lego lists the 1,032-piece set as "retired."

Meara Isenberg Writer

Meara covers streaming service news for CNET. She recently graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, where she wrote for her college newspaper, The Daily Texan, as well as for state and local magazines. When she's not writing, she likes to dote over her cat, sip black coffee and try out new horror movies.

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Meara Isenberg

July 8, 2021 9:52 a.m. PT

2 min read

capitol-set — United States Capitol Building set.
Lego

FBI agents recovered a "fully constructed US Capitol Lego set" from the home of Robert Morss, an alleged participant in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, according to court documents obtained by The Smoking Gun.

The 1,032-piece Lego set, which Lego released in 2016 and now lists as a retired product, was seized in addition to items that appeared to match those Morss carried on the day of the riot. These include a "Don't Tread on Me" flag; a neck gaiter; a military utility bag; a black tourniquet; and military uniforms, according to the documents, which say he also "had three different firearms including a handgun, a shotgun and a rifle."

Lego's US Capitol Building set "focuses on the structure's neoclassical style facade, steps and lawns" and is "finished with a decorative 'US Capitol' nameplate," according to a Lego page about the product. The product was retired at the end of 2019. "We retire all products after a period of time," a spokesperson for Lego said.

Last month, Morss, who's from Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged with federal offenses including assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers; obstruction of an official proceeding; civil disorder; and robbery of personal property of the United States. According to an affidavit submitted by an FBI agent in support of charging Morss, Morss joined the rioters directly confronting the officers guarding the Capitol's Lower West Terrace doors during the riot. The confrontation at the Lower West Terrace was "an intense and prolonged clash between rioters and law enforcement," the affidavit says.

According to court documents, law enforcement also recovered a notebook from Morss' car that included a section titled "Step by Step to Create Hometown Militia," with a list of names, a list of equipment and a list of steps such as "battle drills," "ambush" and "formations." Pages in the notebook also include notes such as "bring kit/body armour," "bring assault rifle," "4 magazines."

The documents didn't indicate whether Morss used the Lego set in preparation for his alleged storming of the Capitol.

According to the US Department of Justice, about 465 individuals have been arrested on charges related to the Jan. 6 Capitol breach in the 150 days since Jan. 6.