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Tampa Serial Rapist Booted From Melbourne Apartment

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By THOMAS W.  KRAUSE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 28, 2008

After a week and a day in his Melbourne home, the man once known as the Hyde Park Rapist has pulled up stakes and moved – 1.24 miles away.

It seems it's not that easy to find a home when you are a convicted serial rapist.

Bobby Joe Helms served 13 years in prison after admitting to 12 rapes committed over three years in the 1980s. After his release, he was confined under the state's Jimmy Ryce Act as a potential offender. Helms spent much of the past eight years confined to a facility for secured treatment.

On Jan. 17, Helms entered an agreement with prosecutors, approved by a judge. He said he would move across the state to Melbourne. Two psychiatrists had evaluated Helms and deemed him unlikely to offend again. Helms must take regular polygraph tests and continue outpatient treatment.

In October, Helms was released and expected to live in a Pinellas County mobile home park. When that arrangement fell through, he returned to the Florida Civil Commitment Center in Arcadia.

Authorities and defense attorneys presented 15 addresses to the Florida Department of Corrections before the department agreed to an apartment complex at 1734 Avocado Ave. in Melbourne.

Last week, however, the landlord asked Helms to leave.

Christie Telebrico, who lives within eyesight of the apartment complex, said she was nervous about Helms living there. Telebrico lives with five daughters, ages 17, 15, 14, 10 and 1.

She said many residents had complained about having a convicted rapist living so close, and she guessed that was the reason the landlord has asked him to leave.

Today, department of corrections officials said Helms has moved to apartment at 2600 Pineapple Ave. It is several blocks away and closer to the Indian River. Helms moved Friday.

"That's not very much further than where he was," Telebrico said. "It's walking distance."

Telebrico said she is not going to put up warning signs or "harass the guy" but wants to keep a close watch.

"I want to know where he's at," she said.

Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813) 259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.

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