COEUR d'ALENE - North Idaho businessman Adam M. Johnson will not be a candidate for sheriff in Kootenai County. At least not this year.

He decided not to pursue a challenge to a legal opinion written by Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh that said Johnson isn't eligible to run for public office because of a recent drug conviction.

"Though disappointed that I will not be able to run this time around, the causes of such were the result of my own actions and lapse in judgment that led to the charges that now ultimately disqualify me from running for office," Johnson said in a statement to The Press.

McHugh's opinion was a written response to an inquiry by Kootenai County Clerk Cliff Hayes regarding Johnson's eligibility to file a declaration of candidacy for sheriff.

Johnson, 28, added in his statement, "The experience up to this point has been exhilarating and the support I have received in this endeavor has been nothing short of amazing."

He said he looked forward "to such time when there will be no barriers to my pursuit of public office and to restoring the public's faith in me that had been previously lost for reasons aforementioned."

Johnson said he planned to take another shot at sheriff in 2016.

Last week, Johnson said he planned to challenge McHugh's opinion and file for sheriff anyway. He said at that time he planned to get clarification from a judge on how a "withheld judgment" differs from a "straight drug conviction."

In December, Johnson pleaded guilty to a heroin possession charge, a felony. At sentencing in January, Johnson received what's called a "withheld judgment," giving him an opportunity to get the case dismissed if he completed two years of supervised probation without violations.

Until that two years is up, though, he's considered a convicted felon.

It is possible for Johnson to restore his right to hold office before the probation period has ended.

According to Idaho law, McHugh wrote in his opinion, "Mr. Johnson could petition the court and be granted early termination of his probation prior to filing his petition for candidacy."

Asked Thursday why Johnson changed his mind about a challenge to McHugh's opinion, he said, "Really, I figured to what end would a challenge achieve? It would cost the taxpayers money to defend my challenge as it would be a judicial issue, and that in and of itself is contrary to my commitment as sheriff to not increase, and if possible, decrease the tax liability and expenditures for the citizens of Kootenai County."

Johnson, a former Post Falls Chamber of Commerce board member, also was charged in Kootenai County in connection with a shooting in downtown Coeur d'Alene in December 2009.

He was the alleged shooter in that confrontation, which sent two Moses Lake, Wash., men to the hospital.

In that case, he was sentenced to 10 days in jail for carrying a concealed weapon while under the influence, a misdemeanor.

A Kootenai County grand jury decided against felony charges in that case.

So far in Kootenai County, three people have filed to run for sheriff, all Republicans, including Ben Wolfinger, Keith Hutcheson and John Green.