A Poplar man scheduled to go to trial for stealing from the fire department changed his plea to guilty.

David Mathison was initially charged with 10 counts of wire fraud, according to a federal indictment. The matter was set to go to trial. Nevertheless, Mathison, through the Federal Defenders of Montana, sent the court a motion to enter a guilty plea.

This is the second time he filed for a motion to change his plea. The first time was in October 2024. The court was originally set to plead the case out. According to the docket, he changed his mind at the hearing. He wanted to continue to trial. He was set to go to trial on February 19, 2025, but again filed a motion to plead guilty.

He will be in court March 3, 2025 in Great Falls Federal Court.

The indictment was filed in April 2024. It alleges that Mathison took thousands of dollars from the Poplar Volunteer Fire Department. This occurred during a two-year period starting in December 2020 and ending in November 2022.

According to a trial brief, the United States’ case against him is outlined. Mathison was removed from his position as Fire Chief. He is alleged to have stolen $17,000 from the department. He often withdrew money from ATM’s at bars and restaurants in Poplar. Documents state that he did this using the small business checking account. This account was set up for the Poplar Fire Department at Independence Bank. Treasurers from the fire department also noticed several unauthorized transactions Mathison made when he was fire chief.

The government filed the offer of proof the first time Mathison wanted to plead guilty. According to this document, on or about August 23, 2021, Mathison used a Fire Department debit card. He made three separate withdrawals totaling $487.50 from an ATM at Buckhorn Bar. When confronted about these withdrawals, Mathison claimed they were used to pay for meals for other firefighters. He insisted on this despite there being no Fire Department meeting or event at the time. When he was interviewed, Mathison admitted making the ATM withdrawals. He acknowledged that the money was used to buy alcoholic beverages from the bar.

In June 2022, a fire department reassure provided information to police about Mathison’s theft. During a later interview, treasurers described several aberrant transactions on the account. These included unauthorized ATM withdrawals, hotel fees, and point of sale transactions. Other non-permitted activities were also noted.

These transactions occurred at various locations in Poplar and Brockton, as well as in Williston North Dakota. Such transactions were made at Buckhorn Bar and the American Legion in Poplar. They also took place at Fred’s Grill and Casino in Brockton, and Doc Hollidays Roadhouse in Williston. These transactions were made by Mathison, who was not an authorized signer on the bank account, documents state.

Mathison was subsequently interviewed and acknowledged numerous night time ATM withdrawls and purchases of alcoholic beverages with the card, documents state.

He denied taking the entire $17,000 but admitted that he made all the ATM withdrawals. He explained that a lot of the time he drank, he was depressed. He did not have anybody to talk to. He acknowledged that majority of the withdrawals occurred at the Buckhorn and American Legion.

Mathison was convicted of federal bank fraud in 2009 when he was Chairman of the Poplar Community Organization.