Faizon Love, an actor known for his roles in comedies like Elf and Couples Retreat, was arrested in Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday.
The 58-year-old was booked into the Hillsborough County jail and charged with contempt of court and criminal contempt of court, according to arrest records.
He is being held on no bond.
Online court records show that a warrant for Love’s arrest was issued last month on the contempt of court charges, relating to a child support case dating back to 2019.
Love’s attorney in the child support case confirmed the arrest to NBC 7, but was unable to share any details about the case.
A contact for Love was not immediately obtainable.
Love played the manager of the Gimbels department store in the 2003 Christmas film, Elf, alongside Will Ferrell. He played Shane, one of the four husbands in the 2009 comedy Couples Retreat — a recently divorced man who arrives at a tropical couples' therapy resort with his much younger girlfriend, Trudy, played by Kali Hawk.
Video game fans may also recognize him as the voice of Sean “Sweet” Johnson in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
Love has faced a number of legal troubles in the past. In March 2017, Love was arrested in Columbus, Ohio, after an altercation with a valet at John Glenn Columbus International Airport.
Video footage appeared to show the actor grabbing the valet by the neck and throwing him to the ground. He initially pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge but later entered a no-contest plea and was fined $500, receiving a 180-day suspended jail sentence.
The following year, a former personal assistant sued Love, alleging sexual harassment. The case was later settled.
In 2022, Love was sued by another former personal assistant, who alleged that he sexually harassed her while she worked for him at his Gwinnett County, Georgia, home.
Love is currently facing a felony assault charge in San Diego, stemming from an alleged altercation with a hotel clerk in August 2024.
Prosecutors allege that Love tore a credit card reader from its mount and threw it at the employee, striking her in the head. He has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon, along with an enhancement alleging the victim suffered great bodily injury. Love has pleaded not guilty, and a trial is currently scheduled for August this year.
A judge is expected to consider next month whether Love should be allowed to enter a pre-trial Mental Health Diversion program, which allows eligible defendants to receive treatment in lieu of incarceration. Charges are typically dismissed if participants successfully complete the program.
During a preliminary hearing last year, the clerk testified that Love became angry after being told the hotel had no available rooms despite his reservation through a third-party booking app.
“Mr. Love was extremely upset; it was zero to one hundred real quick,” the woman told the court. “He was repeatedly asking if we knew who he was.
“I then proceeded to say that was enough,” the alleged victim said. “Mr. Love looked directly at me, pulled the credit card machine off, and threw it [in] my direction.”
Love’s attorney has argued that witness accounts are inconsistent and suggested the alleged victim may have exaggerated her claims because she is also pursuing a civil lawsuit against the actor.
