According to court documents, 72-year-old Kevin Gray was expected to be released into the community of Ballico.
He was first convicted of sexual crimes in 1993 and has been staying in a state hospital.
In October 2020, a judge ordered him to be placed in Merced County, where he has no connections.
State lawmakers and local leaders voiced their concerns and in a hearing Friday morning, they were successful in their motion to keep him out of Merced County.