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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Police say man posed as federal agent in attempt to obtain narcotic

Spokane police arrested a Coeur d’Alene man Monday who allegedly claimed to be a federal agent in an attempt to get an oxycodone prescription from a pain management clinic in East Central Spokane.

Ronald R. Johnson, 58, faces a prescription forgery charge, according to court documents. During a Sept. 25 visit to the clinic, he allegedly provided a fake birth date, address and social security number on paperwork.

Clinic staff told police Johnson had been visiting the clinic since Sept. 11.

He also listed “federal hazmat” as his employer and told police he was working out of state as a driver, court documents say.

In 2014, Johnson was convicted of obtaining oxycodone by deception in a federal case in Montana. Johnson lied about his birthdate at multiple clinics in Montana and Washington to get prescriptions for more than 13,000 pills, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Montana. He was sentenced to one year in prison and a year of supervised release.

Clinic staff called police after a Google search turned up information about Johnson’s federal conviction, court documents say.

Johnson appeared in court Tuesday afternoon. Bond on the charge was set at $1,500.