Two early-release prisoners from Lake County

Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran is criticizing the state's early release of two local men who have already reportedly been rearrested for other crimes.

As more details came to light Thursday about the convictions for which the men were released early under a secret state program, Curran said the premature paroles are an insult to the victims and law enforcement.

"Bottom line is, you do the crime, you do the time," said Curran, who is unopposed in the February Republican primary election. "I subscribe to that. I'm not a proponent of early release whatsoever."

One of the parolees, William Abruscato, 52, was sentenced to 14 months in state prison on a domestic battery conviction after using a steak knife to cut a woman's hand and threatening to torch her Antioch-area trailer home Aug. 2, Lake County sheriff's police said.

Police reports state Abruscato tried to stab the 59-year-old woman in the chest, but she stopped the blade with her left hand.

State records show Abruscato entered the prison system Sept. 25 and was paroled Oct. 8. Abruscato most recently lived in unincorporated Lake County near Antioch.

The Associated Press lists Abruscato as one of at least 18 early parolees who is already back behind bars. The details of his most recent arrest, including when and where it happened and the specific charges, were unavailable Thursday.

Another prisoner who was released early, Joshua Paddock, was sentenced to four years behind bars in early 2008 for an aggravated battery that occurred in Vernon Hills. He served time in the Lake County jail and was released; his release date was unavailable Thursday.

Lake County court records show Paddock, 21, then was charged with unlawful use of credit card and aggravated battery from a Zion incident on Aug. 11, 2009. He was freed from the county jail after posting bond Aug. 12.

While out on bond Oct. 3, Lake County sheriff's police seized Paddock on an active arrest warrant for failure to appear in court on a resisting arrest charge. Deputies found Paddock after they were called to American Inn Motel in Beach Park to check on a 26-year-old Michigan woman who was with him in a room, police reports show.

Paddock, a onetime Vernon Hills resident, entered the state's prison system Oct. 23 and was paroled Nov. 6, state Department of Corrections records show.

Officials said Paddock's parole then was revoked after he was arrested Dec. 12 on domestic battery charges. It's not known where his latest arrest occurred.

Lake County court documents show Paddock also was arrested on charges of unlawful use of credit card in Vernon Hills on Aug. 31, 2007. State records show he served part of an 8-year prison sentence for an aggravated robbery committed in DuPage County in 2006.

Most of the 18 or so reoffenders are accused of new, violent crimes, according to the AP.

A law enforcement official tells The Associated Press that the prisoners were picked up again for such crimes as domestic battery, unlawful weapons use and aggravated battery. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of restrictions on talking to the press.

The inmates were among 850 the AP reported earlier this month had been set free after as little as three weeks total behind bars. Gov. Pat Quinn has announced the conclusion of the program on Wednesday.

Curran said the early releases have caused him concern about governments trying to balance budgets on the back of law enforcement.

"Cuts in the health department and law enforcement are not one and the same," he said.