Las Vegas man gets 27 months for Helena coin shop burglary
A Las Vegas man was sent to federal prison for a Helena coin shop burglary that took nearly $59,000 in valuables and led to $276,153.08 in restitution.
Federal prosecutors say a Las Vegas man who helped strip nearly $59,000 in coins and precious metal from Wayne Miller Coins in Helena will spend 27 months in prison, a sentence that lands squarely on one of Lewis and Clark County’s more unusual high-value burglaries. Bishop Lott, 47, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $276,153.08 in restitution.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris, followed Lott’s January 2026 guilty plea to interstate transportation of stolen property. Prosecutors said the case centered on a burglary reported to Helena police on March 3, 2024, after the shop was hit earlier that day.
Court records say Lott and Ricky Rynell Rose broke into the Helena business and stole $58,629 worth of coins and precious metal. Investigators traced the stolen material after it was taken to Nevada, using surveillance video from multiple businesses and email account data to connect the suspects to the burglary. The Helena Police Department and the FBI investigated the case, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana prosecuted it.
Rose pleaded guilty earlier and received a 39-month prison sentence, reflecting how federal charges can extend the punishment beyond the original burglary itself. The case also reached beyond the loss at one Helena storefront: Lott’s restitution order covers Wayne Miller Coins and five other theft victims, underscoring how one organized theft can ripple through more than a single business.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the outcome May 28, 2026, from Great Falls. For Helena merchants, especially businesses that deal in coins, bullion and other easily resold valuables, the case is a reminder that a smash-and-grab can quickly become an interstate property crime, requiring local police work, federal investigators and court-ordered restitution to chase the losses.
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