The Real-Life Legal Issues Of Star Trek's Brian Bonsall, Explained

The multi-species son of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" warrior Worf, Alexander Rozhenko was the adorable Klingon boy with just enough squishy human genes to keep his dad constantly on his toes. A typical gifted kid, young Alexander was sharp as a bat'leth with a troublesome side, at various points landing himself in hot water by lying, stealing, and generally being a pain in the ridges. Throughout "The Next Generation" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," Alexander would be played by four actors. But it seems that one in particular, former child actor Brian Bonsall, shares Alexander's propensity for landing in trouble. But unlike the Klingon child he played, Bonsall's unruly streak veers into dangerous territory that led to multiple legal troubles between 2007 and 2010.

Cast as the cherub-cheeked, precocious Andy Keaton in "Family Ties" at only five years old, Bonsall would put in countless work hours by middle school. By the time he was cast in "Star Trek" a few years later, the boy actor had racked up credits in several TV movies and shows, earning three Young Artist Awards for his performance on "Family Ties."

But like many young actors, Bonsall struggled through the transition into adulthood. After deciding to focus on music, the former child actor began working in construction to support his musical career while living in Boulder, Colorado, when he was arrested for third-degree assault against his girlfriend in 2007. In 2009, after a year spent evading authorities following a missed court date, Bonsall was arrested again for assaulting a friend. The following year, Bonsall was sentenced to probation after popping hot for cannabis on a court-ordered UA before finally getting his life on track in the ensuing years.

Despite his earlier legal troubles, Brian Bonsall seems to be doing pretty well these days. After admitting his struggles with substance addiction in 2010, Bonsall has continued to pursue a music career, even touring with punk band the Ataris in 2016. In a StarTrek.com profile published around the same time and later reprinted in BestLife, Bonsall shared, "My drunken run-ins with the law are about 10 years behind me, so I'm pretty happy about that. I'm not proud of my past mistakes but you live and you learn, I guess ... hopefully."

Like many former Trek actors, Bonsall revealed his appreciation for fans at conventions, telling StarTrek.com, "It was definitely super-neat to sign so much Star Trek memorabilia and to see the positive response from the fans." After years spent away from the camera, Bonsall popped up in the comedy horror short "Slaughsages" in 2019 and made a cameo appearance in the 2022 indie horror film "You're Melting." 

Despite Bonsall finally ending up on the right side of the law, his name would be associated with legal trouble once more in 2017 due to no fault of the actor's own when a serial rapist began impersonating him right down to the tattoos. Bonsall, who had been touring at the time and was nowhere near the perpetrator's path, took to social media to warn his fans about the impostor, who was eventually arrested outside of Louisville, Kentucky.