KTXL

Just hours after his release, an inmate with a shortened sentence was re-arrested on charges of attempted rape.

Twenty-two-year-old Kevin Eugene Peterson was released from the Sacramento County jail Monday night after serving two-months on a four-month sentence for violating probation. He was one of 190 inmates set free this week under new rules that cut jail sentences in half for good behavior. It's a last resort measure to address the system's broken budget.

Hours later, Peterson was arrested on suspicion of an attempted rape involving a female counselor. He also faces charges of sexual battery, false imprisonment and violating the term of his probation.

"You were released 16 days early. Do you think the same thing would have happened is you weren't released those 16 days early?" asked FOX40 reporter Ben Deci during a jailhouse interview.

"You know... sometimes things happen and um... they are unfortunate circumstances. And I just ended-up here," said Peterson. "I can't really remember what happened... I just remember EZE and the firey wand."

Peterson said, he's a paranoid schitzophrenic.

"They're saying you attempted to rape this woman... is that what happened?" Deci asked.

"No.. no.. no..." said Peterson, obviously taken aback by the seriousness of the charges.

Sacramento Sheriff John McGinness said only non-violent inmates jailed on misdemeanors would be eligible for early release. Peterson's original charge was an assault - he plead guilty to smashing a family member on the nose with a broom handle. But because the injuries weren't life threatening, and because Peterson didn't use a fire arm in the assault, he was released.

He was serving a four-month sentence for violating his probation on that original charge.

FOX40 asked how he spent the 12 hours between his release and rearrest.

"I was just really scared, restless, irratible, and couldn't seem to fix the matters," Peterson said.

Sheriff candidate Jim Cooper urges the state to stop the early releases, saying, "I am appalled by the news of the rape arrest of one of the offenders who was released from jail less than 24 hours earlier due to Legislative requirements to reduce the sentences of county inmates." In a written statement, he said, "The decimation of law enforcement resources due to budget cuts means that our worst fears are becoming reality. Response times to 911 calls have increased, sheriff‟s deputies have been laid off and now the state piles this on top of us. This is unacceptable and it must stop."