"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" star Nicholas Brendon was arrested in Indiana and charged for prescription fraud, according to reports.
The 50-year-old actor, who played Xander Harris throughout the show's run from 1997 to 2003, was apprehended last week and held at the Vigo County Jail, TMZ reported, citing court documents. He has since been released.
Brendon was also reportedly charged with a misdemeanor for failing to properly identify himself to police after showing officers a California ID with the name Kelton Schultz, who he claimed was his brother. Brendon has a twin brother but his name is Kelly Donovan.
Brendon was arrested on Aug. 18 after police pulled him over for not signaling and swerving around on the road, according to TMZ. When officers approached the vehicle, he was sweating profusely and "appeared nervous due to a visibly racing pulse on his neck and shaking hands." Upon searching the vehicle, police found one pill bottle with medication prescribed to "Nicholas Bender," and another prescription of amphetamine salts prescribed to Kelton Schultz, TMZ noted.
When questioned about why he lied about his identity, Brendon reportedly said he and Kelton "have the same prescription and they fill each other's prescription." He later admitted to taking pills that were not prescribed to him.
At the time of his arrest, Brendon was already serving a three-year probation sentence after pleading guilty to misdemeanor domestic battery for allegedly attacking his girlfriend in a California hotel, People reported.
"He was with his girlfriend and they got into an argument," Palm Springs Police Sgt. William Hutchinson told KESQ-TV at the time. "During the argument at the bar, he pulled her arm and then violently pulled her by her hair."
Prior to that, in 2015, Brendon allegedly grabbed his girlfriend by the throat, then smashed her cell phone and stole her keys. He pleaded guilty to criminal mischief. That year he was arrested four times and entered a rehabilitation center to seek treatment for substance abuse, depression and alcoholism. Four months later, in October 2015, he checked in to another treatment center. At the time he thanked his fans for their "love and support," according to WFMZ.
"Well my beautiful people I'm off to Florida for 90 days of treatment," he said. "I love you all so much and I truly do appreciate all of your love and support. We're going to beat this."
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Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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