By Kim Minugh
kminugh@sacbee.com

A habitual sex offender who was released from prison last month after a judge's ruling that his sentence was unconstitutional is back in jail after allegedly having inappropriate contact with a teen, according to authorities.

Sacramento County's Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement Team arrested 55-year-old Robert Winston Precobb (photo left) on Tuesday. Officers booked him into the Main Jail on suspicion of felony child molestation and failure to register his address, according to authorities.

He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail - an enhanced bail amount sought by authorities because they consider him a threat to the community, officials said.

Sacramento County sheriff's Sgt. Mike Jones, who leads the SAFE team, said the child molestation charge stems from an encounter Precobb allegedly had with a 14-year-old victim sometime after his Feb. 28 release from prison.

The two went to a Sacramento hotel room, where they engaged in conversation "of a sexual nature," Jones said. Precobb also gave the victim alcohol and money to purchase marijuana for him, the sergeant said.

The victim, whose gender authorities are not releasing, notified his or her mother of the incident, who reported it to Sacramento Police Department. Members of the SAFE team used information in that report to identify Precobb as the suspect, and the victim confirmed the identification, Jones said.

Upon arresting Precobb, officers found undisclosed items indicating that Precobb has had other contacts since his release, although they are not sure whether those contacts were with juveniles or whether they were inappropriate in nature, Jones said.

Authorities are encouraging anyone who believes they were a victim of Precobb or has information about him to call the SAFE team hotline at (916) 874-4317.

In 1988, Precobb was sentenced to a 15-year-to-life term for non-forcible oral copulation of a 17-year-old boy.

Responding to a habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of Precobb, Sacramento Superior Court Judge Sharon A. Lueras found that a conviction in 1980 no longer could be used as a predicate offense. Lueras then resentenced Precobb to 14 years and four months - which he had already served - and ordered him released.

Precobb's attorney, M. Bradley Wishek, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

Previous coverage:

Child molester freed on Sacramento judge's order - Feb. 26, 2010