** Originally published by Lenny Cohen on TotalApexMedia.com. **
LEESBURG, Fla. – A young man whose legal trouble started when he couldn’t pay for a haircut has gotten himself into more and more trouble. His two latest arrests only happened after he failed to show up in court.
Airick Joshua Slone got some of his hair cut at a place called the Faded Lounge in Florida on Dec. 30, 2023. The cost was $25.
“Airick stated that he did not have any money and could not pay for the service,” the barber who was responsible for shaving the sides of Slone’s head – but not the back – told police.
Then, the arrest report continued, “He observed Airick begin to put on his sweatshirt and walk towards the door [so] he put himself between Airick and the door to prevent him from leaving the storefront.”
But then, “He observed Airick’s phone on the waiting bench, which he took and held onto it. Per [the barber’s] sworn written statement, he told Airick that he would not give Airick his phone back until he either paid for his haircut or wait for law enforcement’s arrival.”
The officer reported finding Slone “sitting on the front waiting bench. I had difficulty hearing him; however, when I asked if he was willing to pay for the haircut, he stated that he could not because he did not have any money.”
Airick Joshua Slone’s Plea in Absentia, Jan. 11, 2024 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
Slone was arrested for petit theft-first offense and he spent 12 days in jail. Then, he took a plea deal and was sentenced to time served, one day of probation, and he was freed.
But, perhaps the hardest part for a guy with no money, Slone was ordered to pay $25 in restitution plus at least $150 for the court’s trouble within five days.
Airick Joshua Slone’s Restitution Order, Jan. 22, 2024 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
A Restitution Order came 11 days after Slone’s sentence. It was the final document in this case, so it’s unknown whether he actually paid the restitution. However, online court records show he never paid the county, and owes $452.
Slone seemed to stay out of trouble until June 2024, when he was involved in two incidents at a 7-Eleven gas station.
The first, much more serious, took place June 16, and Slone was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting with violence for hitting a cop in the mouth with his elbow. That was a felony.
The arrest report said Slone was holding a puppy and “causing a disturbance in front of the business.”
A sergeant arrived “and made contact,” but Slone “proceeded to attempt to walk away” despite the sergeant’s “verbal commands for him to stop.
“The defendant ignored said orders and continued to walk away. [The sergeant] then grabbed the defendant’s arm in an attempt to physically keep him from walking away.
“The defendant then began utilizing his arms and hands in an attempt to break [the sergeant’s] grasp, and a physical struggle ensued. During the struggle, the defendant used his elbow to strike [the sergeant] in his mouth, causing a laceration to the inside of [the sergeant’s] lip.”
Slone was arrested and nothing else was written about the puppy or the disturbance.
But, it led to a discrepancy.
Back at the scene or behind bars?
Sheriff’s office records show Slone spent 38 days behind bars, and he was released on July 24, but a Fruitland Park police officer at the scene of the skirmish reported seeing him back there just 10 days later, on July 26.
Slone was reportedly “throwing items away in a garbage can,” even though after the puppy incident arrest, “The defendant was formally trespassed from 7-Eleven.”
The cop “issued him a criminal citation for trespass after warning” – rather than arresting him – and Slone was ordered to appear in court on the morning of Aug. 14, but he didn’t show up, and that made matters worse.
The judge issued a warrant and Slone was arrested on Aug. 20.
Waiver of Rights and Plea Agreement in Absentia, Aug. 30, 2024 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
Ten days after that, Slone agreed to plead no contest to the trespassing charge and he was sentenced to time served, more financial obligations, and a “reminder not to return to incident location.”
Online records do not show whatever became of the disorderly conduct and resisting with violence charges.
Regardless, Slone was free – at least until a couple of weeks ago.
His final case was similar to his previous one.
More mistakes made
“Several individuals were loitering and panhandling outside of the store in the walkway,” an Aldi grocery store employee reported on the evening of Jan. 30, 2025.
A cop found “the individuals in the area in between Aldi and Dollar Tree. Among the individuals was a transient I recognized from prior contacts as Airick J. Slone.”
Then, the cop reported Slone’s mistake: “All of the individuals left except for Mr. Slone,” and it turned out Slone “had previously been trespassed from the entire plaza on May 21st, 2024.”
Finally, “Slone was arrested for knowingly and unlawfully committing the offense of trespass after warning,” the officer’s narrative said.
However, “He was issued a misdemeanor citation [number] and released on his own recognizance. Mr. Slone’s court date was explained to and confirmed by him.”
Slone may have had other plans.
He certainly hadn’t learned from the last time and missed his Feb. 19 appointment in court, so the judge again issued a warrant and Slone was arrested on March 20.
Airick Joshua Slone’s Plea in Absentia, March 25, 2025 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
Then, like his earlier cases, this one ended with a plea deal, just five days later.
On March 25, Slone pleaded no contest and the judge again sentenced him to time served, along with mandatory fees. Plus, Slone was “reminded” not to return to the plaza.
Slone, now 20 years old, was freed from jail but his court cases were not closed, possibly because he owes well over $1,000.
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