Ronan man pleads not guilty to coin theft charge
JEFF SMITH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 months, 3 weeks AGO
Jeff Smith is news director for Anderson Broadcasting and a contributor to the Lake County Leader. | October 30, 2025 12:00 AM
A Ronan man is accused of stealing coins from the city of Ronan’s coin-operated water filling station.
Christopher Alan Atkinson, 46, entered a plea of not guilty in District Court in Polson June 18 to felony theft.
According to charging documents, in February, the Ronan City Clerk determined money had not been deposited from the coin-operated water system since November 2022. It was Atkinson’s job to do this task.
Ronan’s Police Chief Robert Jacobson and Sgt. Brandon Smith set up a surveillance camera that allegedly shows images of Atkinson collecting the coins on two occasions without delivering them to City Hall. When confronted about the coins, Atkinson initially denied taking them. When told about the surveillance camera, he allegedly admitted to taking $400, but later said it was more like $2,000.
The clerk determined that during a similar time frame, the city would collect about $4,500.
Judge Molly Owen set the case for trial Feb. 1. Atkinson is at liberty on his own recognizance.
ARTICLES BY JEFF SMITH
Ronan man sentenced for child sex abuse
A Ronan man, with two prior convictions for sexual abuse of children, was sentenced to 10 years in the Montana State Prison with five years suspended on another charge of the same.
Woman sentenced to 20 years for causing fatal crash
A Polson woman, who admitted to causing a fatal vehicle crash in July of 2025, was sentenced in District Court in Polson June 10 to the Montana State Women’s Prison for 20 years with 15 suspended.
Following Supreme Court appeal, judge cuts Matt's sentence in half
A Ronan man, who appealed his sentence for assaulting a peace officer in April 2023 to the Montana Supreme Court, was re-sentenced in District Court in Polson May 28.