Tampa rape suspect arrested

TAMPA - Rape suspect Joseph Frye has been booked into the Hillsborough County Jail.

Frye, 49, was arrested shortly before noon at the Mayflower Motel on North Florida Avenue.

Police received a tip earlier this morning from a citizen leading them to the hotel.

Deputy Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor said they recovered the weapon taken from the victim during the assault and some of her other belongings.

Police said there was an indication someone else was staying in Frye's room, but no one else was there when he was arrested.

Frye was recently released early from a 40 year sentence in a 2004 rape conviction. Castor said Tampa police will make sure that doesn't happen again.

"Everybody's seen his past criminal record, and the violent history that he has," Castor said. "So I think that everyone in the city of Tampa can breathe a little easier knowing that he's gonna be behind bars, and he's not gonna get out again."

Officers initially took Frye to Tampa Police headquarters for questioning, then booked him into jail Thursday afternoon.