Flathead District Court Judge Robert Allison refused last Thursday to release a man accused of stealing from an orchestra concert in October.

Brian David Radabah, 25, pleaded not guilty to one felony count of theft, before he asked that Allison release him on his own recognizance. His bail was set at $15,000.

Radabah allegedly confessed to taking laptops, cell phones, keys and cash that had been left in a room at Flathead High School during a symphony performance on Oct. 16. The total value of items taken was $2,000. An officer was able to recover most of the stolen items.

On Thursday, Radabah asked to be released to a homeless shelter so he could start work at a pizza parlor. Radabah said he hadn’t had steady work since he mowed grass in the summer months.

“I don’t have exactly the best track record of showing up for court and stuff, but I was under negative influences,” Radabah said. “I was running from my problems and now I want to face them.”

Radabah said he planned on going to medic training in January after his student loans came through. He admitted that he has a substance abuse problem.

“For years I was on drugs, using dope, using marijuana, drinking hardcore alcohol,” Radabah said.

When prosecutor Travis Ahner quizzed Radabah on a list of misdemeanor citations for possession of marijuana in Montana and Idaho, Radabah could not recall all of them, including some in the past six months.

“I don’t fully remember because I was under the influence of mind-altering substances,” Radabah said.

Allison denied the bond reduction, and said that he thought a stay in jail might be best for Radabah so he can sober up and not get into more trouble.

“You’re 25 years old,” Allison said. “You have an opportunity to have a life and I can guarantee you, this probably isn’t the kind of offense that will result in a long-term prison sentence ... I‘m afraid quite frankly that if I let you out of jail today, I might be depriving you of that opportunity.”

Radabah’s case is set for trial in 2017.

Reporter Megan Strickland can be reached at 758-4459 or [email protected].