Pocatello council upholds denial of Ronald Johnson’s taxicab license after review of criminal history

The Pocatello City Council on March 20 upheld the Pocatello Police Department’s denial of a taxicab driver license for Ronald Johnson after hearing Johnson’s appeal and a staff presentation of his background check.

Mallory Bascom, Pocatello Police licensing, told the council her office denied Johnson’s application under City Code 5.56.0.05(e), which disqualifies applicants with felony convictions or crimes involving moral turpitude, violence, or controlled-substance offenses. Bascom summarized fingerprint returns and source records showing multiple felony convictions in Washington and Idaho for controlled-substance and theft offenses, convictions for obtaining controlled substances by deception, a probation violation, and instances where Johnson reportedly presented false names and held himself out as a federal or other law-enforcement officer while seeking prescriptions.

In his appeal presentation, Ronald Johnson described a long history of work as an off-duty fire and medical responder and as a private contractor training protection dogs. He told the council he has struggled with post-traumatic stress and past prescription opioid use following a 1996 injury and the later death of his son. Johnson said he has been sober from oxycodone for about eight years, participates in PTSD meetings and other treatments, and asked the council for a second chance.

Council members pressed Johnson on treatment history, the pattern of criminal charges across multiple states, and the specific background-check findings. Council Member Mangum said the recurring felony convictions and incidents in which Johnson impersonated law-enforcement officers were the central concerns; Council Member Mansfield and others said those issues made them uncomfortable approving a license given the city’s interest in public safety for taxi riders and drivers.

Council Member Mangum moved to deny the appeal (uphold the city’s denial); Council Member Mansfield seconded. The roll call recorded by the clerk showed the motion carried with affirmative votes by Mansfield, Cheatham, Ulrich, Nichols and Paulson (motion upheld). The council’s action therefore left the original licensing denial in place.

The council did not adopt any additional conditions or direction to staff beyond the denial. Bascom said fingerprint returns from additional jurisdictions were still pending at the time of the hearing and that the licensing decision had been based on the fingerprint-based search and the records she had received.

The council’s decision preserves the Police Department’s determination under the cited city code; there was no direction to reopen or modify the licensing standard. Johnson spoke last and thanked the council before the vote.