Former USD player pleads not guilty

SAN DIEGO (AP) - A well-known former University of San Diego basketball player has made an appearance in federal court in a sports bribery case.

USD's all-time leading scorer Brandon Johnson pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Monday, then returned home to Houston. He is free on a $25,000 bond and was appointed a local public defender, Oliver Cleary.

Johnson was arrested without incident April 9 in Houston.

The indictment alleges that Johnson took a bribe to influence a USD game in February 2010 and solicited someone else this January to affect the outcome of USD basketball games while playing for the Dakota Wizards, an NBA development team.

He is one of 10 defendants in the marijuana distribution and sports gambling case. Each faces five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.