Man arrested for having murder victim's ATM card pleads not guilty

A man who was found in possession of an ATM card belonging to a murder victim who died in San Francisco's Mission District on Sunday pleaded not guilty Thursday to a charge of receiving stolen property.

Roland Pouncey, 42, was arrested after police found him with the ATM card of Richard Sprague, 47, who was discovered dead in the 100 block of Julian Avenue at about 7:45 a.m. Sunday, police said.

Pouncey's arrest near 16th and Mission streets came just nine hours after officers located Sprague's body, Assistant District Attorney Nicole Crosby said at Pouncey's arraignment this afternoon.

Police found Sprague after someone called police to report that a man had been lying in the street for more than an hour and hadn't moved, police said. His cause of death has not yet been released.

Deputy Public Defender Stephen Rosen, who is representing Pouncey, said his client has not been charged with murder.

"They have nothing tying Mr. Pouncey to any homicide besides one card," Rosen said.

"That's significant," said Judge Gerardo Sandoval, who ordered Pouncey held on $55,000 bail.

Crosby said Pouncey has served two prior prison terms for offenses in San Francisco, and has a lengthy rap sheet statewide.

Pouncey will return to court for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 7.