A Memphis hairdresser is facing criminal charges following an incident where she is accused of keeping a client against her will over a disputed payment. Mychelle Ray, 31, was charged with aggravated assault and false imprisonment after the confrontation that occured last Friday, September 13 at Luv My Hair Salon, Action News 5 reports. According to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, Ray demanded an additional $50 from her client who had already paid a $50 deposit and $410 through the digital payment application Zelle.
The situation escalated when the customer questioned the extra charge, leading to Ray purportedly engaging in a verbal altercation. In a statement obtained by Law and Crime, the hairstylist allegedly told the client, “Don’t move, because I got these scissors next to your face,” and further asserted, “B—-, you not going nowhere until you pay me.” The affidavit suggests that Ray then locked the salon's door and blocked the customer's path to prevent her from leaving.
Upon calling the authorities, the client explained that she had indeed been held against her will and feared for her safety during the heated exchange. The Charlotte Observer reports that when police arrived, they found the salon door locked and had to communicate with Ray via a dispatcher, who informed her that she was committing a crime by not letting her customer leave. The door was eventually opened, and the client was released without physical harm.
Ray was arrested and booked into the Shelby County Jail on October 9. She was later released on a $7,500 bond, according to online jail records. The court appearance has been scheduled for this Monday, October 14, where she will formally respond to the charges laid against her. This incident has raised questions among local residents about client safety and the enforcement of transparent billing practices within personal service industries.
