A man convicted of sexually assaulting three women, including two University of New Hampshire students, in the 1980s inched closer to freedom Thursday, but must still serve at least another 3 1/2 years in state prison.

Gary Fecteau, convicted in attacks on two women at UNH and a third in Dover, was sentenced in 1989 to two sentences of 7 1/2 to 15 years in prison on sexual assault convictions, and was given two addition terms of 3 1/2 to 7 years for burglaries that culminated in the assaults. At his sentencing, all of the jail terms were ordered served consecutively.

He was convicted of the 1987 attacks on women in apartments in Durham and Dover in 1987.

Tuesday, the state Parole Board paroled Fecteau from one of the burglary sentences, and he has started to serve the final 3 1/2 to 7 year term.

Fecteau, who married a worker with the prison ministries program, cannot be released until he completes the minimum term in his final sentence.

Andrea Goldberg, executive assistant to the board, said a prisoner in Fecteau's position would typically go before the board a couple of months before the early release date.

A records mix-up had previously overlooked Fecteau's second consecutive sentence for burglary, and he had been moved to a halfway house late last year in anticipation of his imminent release. However, when the error was discovered, he was sent back to prison.

Fecteau could be released after June 9, 2016, when he reaches the minimum time to be served in his final consecutive sentence.

Manchester attorney Michael Iacopino, who represented Fecteau before the parole board, refused to comment on the decision.

"I really don't have anything to say about it," Iacopino said.

In another case, the parole board rejected early release for James Owen, who was sentenced to 20-99 years in prison in the 1992 death of Kelly Flanders, who was beaten to death with a pipe and robbed of $7 in Manchester's Valley Street Cemetery two decades ago.

Owen was told that he must become involved in a sexual offender treatment program before he can be paroled.

He reached his minimum time last December.