Actor Brad Renfro (AKA the kid from The Client) has had sort of a tough week. On Monday he was before a judge for sentencing after pleading guilty to attempted possession of heroin, a charge stemming from his arrest in a December sting operation. Because California has a law that allows non-violent drug offenders to enter treatment rather than the state pen, the judge, in addition to handing down three years of probation and the warning of up to 18 months in jail for a subsequent drug arrest, ordered Refro into a "drug diversion" program.

It turns out, however, that any "Woo hoo! No prison!" celebration following that court appearance was a mite hasty, because when Renfro pleaded no contest yesterday to a November drunk driving charge, he was sentenced to 10 days in prison, another five years probation, and 18 months in (yet another) counseling program. Doh! To his credit, the actor turned himself in on the spot, and began serving the sentence immediately.

Ah, child stars. They're like little, human car wrecks.

Actor Brad Renfro, who was pulled from obscurity at 12 when Joel Schumacher picked him off the street to appear in 1994's The Client, was arrested in California yesterday when he tried to buy heroin from an undercover cop. The sting operation, which reportedly was not aimed specifically at Renfro, resulted in the arrests of a total of 15 people. Renfro, who avoided jail time with a plea in a 1998 cocaine and marijuana charge, is 23. More details as we get them.

[Thanks, Deidre.]