DOVER —The man behind a hostage situation at Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign office in Rochester in 2007 will soon be released from prison.

Leeland Eisenberg was back in Strafford County Superior Court on Wednesday as the state argued against a prison notification that Eisenberg was a candidate for work release ahead of his minimum parole date in August 2013.

Eisenberg was sent to prison on a 3½- to 7-year sentence in May 2010 after a judge ruled he had violated his probation that February when he cut off a pair of monitoring anklets and then tested positive for cocaine and alcohol.

The sentence originally stemmed from Eisenberg's conviction for taking several hostages by using fake explosives at Hillary's Clinton's presidential campaign office in Rochester in November 2007.

During Wednesday's hearing, Strafford County Attorney Thomas Velardi said he argued that both times the state has tried to make a community-based plan for Eisenberg, he failed to comply.

"The judge did not agree with me and will allow his work release to go forward," Velardi said. "Within a few months, Mr. Eisenberg will be segued back into the community."

Eisenberg is already in minimum security at the state prison in Concord and has a job he is permitted to go to, Velardi said.

Velardi added that Eisenberg has had only a couple of minor infractions as an inmate since June 2010 and has spent the last two years on the mental health block of the jail receiving intense mental health services.

But Velardi said he is not convinced releasing Eisenberg early is the safest bet for the community.

"In this particular case, I don't think there is going to be an adequate plan to keep us safe from Mr. Eisenberg should he decide to re-offend," Velardi said.

Velardi said because Eisenberg is to be released on parole, the plan is arranged through the prison system, and any parole violations would be handled by the prison system as well.

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Gretyl Macalaster may be reached at gmacalaster@newstote.com.