Last modified: Saturday, October 11, 2008 3:07 AM EDT Mark Rantanen in court on Friday. (Staff photo by Mike George) Lawyer: Cops have wrong man BY DAVID LINTON SUN CHRONICLE STAFF ATTLEBORO - The lawyer and friends of a man accused of grabbing a 13-year-old boy from outside his home and dragging him into the woods before the boy was able to break free say police have the wrong man. Suspect Mark J. Rantanen, 46, a city man with a long criminal record, pleaded innocent Friday in Attleboro District Court to kidnapping and assault and battery. After a bail hearing in which the defense raised doubts about the case, Judge James McGovern rejected the prosecution's request to hold Rantanen in jail without bail. He set bail at $10,000 cash and scheduled a dangerousness hearing for next Wednesday. Rantanen is shorter than the 6-foot man the youth described as his assailant, has difficulty walking and wears an eye patch from a previous injury, which the youth did not mention, his lawyer, Daniel Rich argued. "I suspect, your honor, the police have the wrong individual," Rich said, noting that he is 5-feet, 11-inches tall, and Rantanen is at least 6 inches shorter. Rich said Rantanen could not have walked the mile from the crime scene in woods off Holden Street to downtown in time to where police say he was taken into custody for allegedly being a public intoxicant. But Assistant District Attorney William Brownell argued police said the boy "positively identified" the defendant as his assailant, and that clothing from the defendant and the victim were taken for DNA analysis to determine whether there is a link. Brownell said Rantanen had clothing similar to that described by the youth, such as black pants, and had long, curly brown hair and a beard. He also said the boy told police the man was dirty, as if he hadn't bathed, and had the smell of alcohol on his breath. Rantanen has a long criminal record, which includes stints in prison for armed robbery and escape, and has convictions for breaking and entering, assault and battery and disorderly charges, the prosecutor said. The abduction attempt occurred around 10:30 a.m. Thursday as the boy was putting his back pack into the family car in his front yard. He told police he was grabbed by a white man, about 6-feet tall, wearing black pants and a white shirt with red lettering. The boy was able to break free from his assailant when he heard his father calling, and ran toward the direction of his voice, police said. Investigators say the boy walked the woods with them, where they noticed signs of a struggle in the brush. In an interview with The Sun Chronicle, the boy's father - who spoke on the condition of anonymity - said his son told him the assailant grabbed his body with one arm and used the other to cover his mouth so he could not scream for help. "God put me in the right place at the right time," the boy's father said, adding he was home sick from work Thursday morning when the incident occurred. He said he never saw the man who grabbed his son. Despite the terror of the ordeal, the 43-year-old father said he, his wife and their two children are "doing well." He praised the work of city and state police who conducted a massive three-hour air and ground search of the Bungay River Conservation Area using a state police helicopter and police dog. "We're very impressed with the police effort. It was swift and effective," the father said. But Rantanen's friends, who gathered outside court Friday and watched the arraignment proceedings, disputed the allegations and criticized police. "The Attleboro police are looking for a scapegoat, plain and simple," said Joseph Paul O'Brien, 43, who added that he has known Rantanen since they were children. O'Brien said Rantanen, whom he said has struggled with alcohol and has a criminal record, lives with him and his girlfriend, Sheryl Audette, at 166 Pine St. However, Rantanen listed a Maple Terrace address as his residence when questioned by police. O'Brien said Rantanen has been homeless at times, which may be a reason he was arrested by police. O'Brien said Rantanen had just visited his girlfriend and had taken the bus downtown to go to the bank, planning to return home to Pine Street at the time he was arrested. Audette agreed. "He's a nice guy. I feel bad for him. He's probably traumatized," she said. Audette said Rantanen injured his eye in a fall at her apartment and has to wear an eye patch. "The kid could have beat him up. He can just about walk," said Fred Hoskins. "We've all known him for a long time. This is something he would not do." But Brownell told the court that Rantanen is a danger to the public and should be kept behind bars. The prosecution is expected to offer evidence next week at a dangerousness hearing to hold Rantanen in jail without bail for up to 90 days while the prosecution plans for trial. Rantanen faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of kidnapping.