Counterfeiting suspect dies in shootout
NORMAN — A Bethany man killed Thursday during a shootout with U.S. marshals had been on the run for more than a year after being indicted in a counterfeiting conspiracy.
Daniel Timothy Johnson, 34, fired multiple rounds from a “long gun” at law enforcement officers Thursday morning just south of Lake Thunderbird in Norman, authorities said.
Officers returned fire, killing Johnson.
Members of the Western District of Oklahoma’s U.S. Marshals Metro Fugitive Task Force were attempting to arrest Johnson, who was wanted on federal warrants. Johnson reportedly shot at the officers after being pulled over.
“Based on what I know, I’m not surprised to hear that it ended that way,” defense attorney Michael Arnett told The Oklahoman Friday. “What I’m really kind of surprised about is that he was still in Oklahoma.”
Arnett represented Johnson in the counterfeiting case. He has had no contact with Johnson since an arrest warrant was issued in February 2017, he said.
“He’d been at large for some time,” Arnett said.
The defense attorney said he was unaware Johnson had been killed but received notice Friday that the arrest warrant was returned “unexecuted.”
Johnson initially was accused in early 2016 of executing a large-scale counterfeiting operation in Oklahoma City. He was charged in Oklahoma City federal court with a counterfeiting offense after months of investigation by Secret Service agents.
The case later was dismissed, but federal grand jurors in February 2017 indicted Johnson in a conspiracy to counterfeit securities of the United States. Johnson also was charged with drug offenses and possession of a firearm and ammunition, according to the indictment.
Grand jurors alleged Johnson used computer software and printing technologies to print counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes onto sheets of paper. The sheets were then cut and sold to people throughout the country, according to the indictment.
In 2016, investigators found about $150,000 in counterfeit notes in a commercial building being leased by Johnson, records show.
Johnson’s brother, Benjamin Lee Johnson, 32, of Oklahoma City, also was charged in the indictment. He pleaded guilty in April 2017 to drug manufacturing.
Benjamin Johnson admitted he assisted his brother with manufacturing marijuana and trimmed 19 marijuana plants regularly. In August, a judge sentenced Benjamin Johnson to four years probation.
In 2008, Daniel Johnson pleaded guilty to copyright infringement. He admitted selling a stolen code for computer software. A judge sentenced him to 46 months in federal prison.
Federal prosecutors have said more information regarding Thursday’s shootout will be available in coming days.