ROCKINGHAM — A man on probation for a month is back in jail, accused of damaging utility lines.
An arrest warrant alleges that 48-year-old Robert Gray Gainey cut telecommunication lines and a utility pole near his Maple Street home in East Rockingham on June 9, causing thousands of dollars in damages.
The property reportedly belonged to AT&T and Spectrum.
Gainey was arrested June 12 and charged with: injuring utility wires or fixtures; injury to real property; and injury to property to obtain nonferrous metal affecting critical infrastructure.
He was booked into the Richmond County Jail on a $25,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court June 18.
(NOTE: It appears he made bail while this story was being written.)
Records with the N.C. court system and N.C. Department of Adult Correction show that Gainey was convicted May 4 on charges of possession of a firearm by a felon and altering or removing a gun’s serial number. In the latter case, several other charges were dismissed as part of a plea deal. He was given a 24-month suspended sentence.
Gainey was also previously convicted in 2016 of driving while impaired in Scotland County, and the following year of possession or distribution of a meth precursor.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
