Vietnam vet accused of kidnapping hookers

Joseph H. Kruppenbacher of Rotterdam, NY is facing attempted rape, imprisonment, and perhaps attempted murder charges for trying to attack women he picked up on the streets during winter of this year. Terence L. Kindlon, his attorney, argued that the $100,000 bail that his client was held under was excessive, while Assistant Schenectady County District Attorney Jessica Lorusso argued that it was too lenient.

Rotterdam police say Kruppenbacher picked up women in January, February and again in April and held them against their will. One woman, police said, was forced to jump from a car to escape.

Kruppenbacher is being held on three counts of first-degree unlawful imprisonment and one count of first-degree attempted rape. Kindlon unsuccessfully sought more information about the grand jury's consideration of an attempted murder charge. Outside court, Kindlon said he was caught off-guard by the prospect of that count.

Kindlon told Schenectady County Judge Karen Drago that Kruppenbacher is a Vietnam veteran, chess champion and family man who wanted to go home to Besch Avenue in Albany so he could attend his son's graduation.