SARASOTA, Fla. -- The suspect who's being questioned inthe apparent abduction of an 11-year-old Florida girl is aconvicted felon.

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Caught On Tape: Girl Abducted Mother Makes Plea For Daughter's Return

State records show that 37-year-old Joseph P. Smith (pictured, left) has beenarrested at least 13 times in Florida since 1993. He was arrestedin 1997 on kidnapping and false imprisonment charges -- but wasacquitted a year later. Other arrests range from misdemeanorbattery to felony drug possession charges.

Smith's car, a Buick Century station wagon, was being searched by investigators in a search for clues in the disappearance of Carlie Brucia, whose apparent abduction was captured by a car wash surveillance camera.

Dozens of FBI agents have been chasing as many as 200 leads in the search for Brucia. A business was offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for her disappearance.

Sheriff Bill Bockwell said investigators were led to Smith after a tip was phoned in by a citizen.

Even NASA has been involved in the search for the girl. The FBI has been working with the space agency to enhance images from a surveillance camera that captured the child's abduction.

Investigators in Sarasota County, Fla., say Brucia was taking a shortcut behind a closed car wash Sunday night while on her way home from a friend's house.

The pictures were captured by a surveillance camera at a Sarasota car wash Sunday. The sixth-grader is seen on the car wash's videotape being led away by a white man in his late 20s or early 30s. The tape shows the man speaking to her for a few seconds before grabbing her by the arm. Brucia does not appear to know him.

Investigators say the man has tattoos on both forearms and is wearing a mechanic's shirt with a name patch on the breast.

Carlie (pictured, right), who is about 5 feet tall and 120 pounds, has blond hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a red top and blue jeans, and carrying a pink backpack.

Law enforcement officers are pledging to find Carlie.

"We fear for her safety. On behalf of Carlie's family, I'd like to make a plea to the man who took her away or to anyone who knows of her whereabouts. Please bring Carlie home. Carlie if you can see or hear this, please know that we will stop at nothing to find you," Maj. Kevin Gooding of the Sarasota County sheriff's office said. "And most of all, Carlie, do not give up."

There was one specific lead Gooding discussed. It was a clue from a caller in Kissimmee, Fla., who says he saw a man struggling with a girl in a parkinglot Tuesday. That has police on the lookout for a green, four-door Honda or Nissan.

He said officials received information from the Kissimmee Police Department that the incident happened at 5:50 a.m. Tuesday and that the the man allegedly "seized" a car.

The witness said a man and a female were struggling near the car and that the female fit Carlie's description.

"They struggled and the female ran away from the male. The male tried to grab her to bring her back," Gooding said.

The witness wasn't sure about what he saw, but he then went home and saw the Amber Alert on TV and realized that struggle could be related to the Amber Alert.

The FBI is working with Sarasota officials on the case.

"We have agents working all of the leads that are generated here so that we can thoroughly and aggressively follow up on these leads," Carl Whitehead, of the FBI, said.

Whitehead said profilers are working on the case.

Carlie's mother has made an emotional appeal for the child's return.

Susan Schorpen begged, "Please release Carlie. Please give me my baby."

The girl's father is imploring anyonewith information to come forward.

At a news conference earlier, an officer with the Sarasota County sheriff's office told the little girl to run for help if she could.

Anyone with information is asked to call (888) 838-AMBER.