Ocala police on Monday arrested a suspect whom they say is responsible for a string of rapes and kidnappings in the area.
Michael Alan Frye was taken into custody yesterday and charged with four counts each of sexual battery and kidnapping, two by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and two by the Ocala Police Department.
Investigators said, the attacks on victims began on September 19, after a victim reported that she was in the area of Downtown Ocala, when a white male subject offered her a ride. The victim told police the white male drover her to the 4200 block of NW 11th Street where he forced her out of the vehicle and raped her. The woman said the man was armed with a weapon and that he was violent. The woman provided a description of the suspect to police and indicated that he has a tattoo on his neck and both forearms.
At least three other attacks were reported to police over the intervening period.
Police said, suspected serial rapist Michael A. Frye may have attempted to alter his tattoos at a local tattoo shop. A tattoo shop owner told detectives a man had come to his shop enquiring about the cost of altering several tattoos that he has on his neck. The man left the shop without having any tattoo work done, indicaing that he could not afford the cost.
Subsequently, police reviewed the tattoo shop’s surveillance video on October 21, and confirmed Frye did go into the tattoo shop just after 7:30 p.m. on October 14.
Police arrested Frye on Monday, without incident.
The Task Force including the Ocala Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are still investigating the incidents and anyone with information is encouraged to call any of the above Agencies. You can contact Detective McQuaig at 352-369-7029 or Crime Stoppers at: 352-368-STOP (7867).
