Man jailed a third time for Sutter County scrap metal theft

Randy Dean Gorham is having a hard time staying out of jail.

For the third time in four weeks, the 56-year-old Yuba City man finds himself behind bars in Sutter County on stolen property possession charges. This time without bail.

Gorham was arrested again on Thursday for trying to sell stolen scrap metal, the Sutter County Sheriff's Department said.

"We picked him up again after the owners (of Empire Steel) called to report him," Capt. Lewis McElfresh said.

Gorham was booked into the Sutter County Jail on suspicion of receiving stolen property and committing a felony while out on jail on a prior charge.

In an interview earlier this month with the Appeal-Democrat, Gorham admitted to burglarizing Valley Pump & Motor in the 400 block of North George Washington Boulevard around Dec. 27. However, he denied responsibility for a second burglary at the shop on Jan. 2.

"I don't like what I'm doing, but it's hard," Gorham told the Appeal-Democrat.

Gorham said he has struggled to find work in recent years.

He posted bail after both arrests.

On Thursday, deputies said, Gorham again tried to sell stolen scrap metal to the owners of Empire Steel Recycling in the 3000 block of North Township Road, McElfresh said.

"It's not clear if (the metal) is from a new theft or left over from the previous ones," McElfresh said.

Gorham is scheduled to appear Monday in Sutter County Superior Court.

CONTACT Rob Parsons at rparsons@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4785. Find him on Facebook at /ADcrimebeat or on Twitter at @ADcrimebeat.