A Look At Dennis Quaid's Brother Randy's History Of Legal Trouble

It can be tough out there for the sibling of a famous figure. Still, it can be equally tough for the famous figure when their sibling continually hits the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Just ask Dennis Quaid, whose older brother, Randy Quaid, has a criminal record that goes on longer than a screening of "Wyatt Earp."

Dennis and Randy's relationship is tumultuous. The National Enquirer claimed in 2018 that they hadn't spoken in over 18 years. Still, that doesn't stop Dennis from thinking about his estranged sibling. "I love my brother," he told People in 2011. "That's all I can say. I love my brother, and I miss my brother. That's all I'm going to say."

The two actors haven't always been at loggerheads, though. Dennis and Randy starred together as fictional outlaw brothers in the 1980s Western drama "The Long Riders." And they share a lot of commonalities. For instance, they're both musicians. Randy released the decidedly bizarre single "Star Whackers" in 2011, while Dennis heads up the rock 'n' roll band Dennis Quaid and the Sharks. Dennis and Randy's political views are also tightly aligned. They're outspoken Donald Trump supporters. Dennis came under fire in April 2020 after telling the Daily Beast he thought 45 was doing a great job of handling the COVID-19 pandemic. But that's where the similarities end because Dennis and Randy have taken decidedly different paths in life — with Randy's being far from straight and narrow.

Randy Quaid might as well have his criminal attorney on speed dial and ready to leap into action, which is just as well, given his never-ending legal troubles. Randy and his second wife, Evi Quaid, have a rap sheet that is as confusing as it is lengthy, backdating a decade and a half and spanning two countries.

Randy and Evi began their criminal capers in 2009. TMZ reported they were busted for allegedly defrauding a San Ysidro innkeeper after hot hoofing without paying a $10,000 bill. Arrest warrants were issued, but the two went on the run, hiding out in Marfa, Texas. The long arm of the law eventually caught up with them, though, and they were apprehended. However, they didn't go quietly. Evi allegedly verbally and physically assaulted one of the cops.

Per ABC News, the Quaids bonded out. Still, they repeatedly missed their scheduled court appearances, landing them a short stay at the Santa Barbara County Main Jail. When they eventually came before the judge in April 2010, charges were dropped against Randy. TMZ reported that Evi pled "no contest," was placed on probation and ordered to complete 240 hours of community service. It was business as usual again within months, though. In September 2010, Randy and Evi were slapped with burglary and vandalism charges after hunkering down in the guest house of a home they used to own. They bonded out but failed to appear in court, according to Reuters.

New arrest warrants were issued after Randy and Evi Quaid failed to appear in court. However, they went on the lam in October 2010, seeking asylum in Canada. Vanity Fair reports that Randy and Evi claimed a deadly mob called "The Hollywood Star Whackers" was pursuing them, and they feared for their lives. However, Canada was having none of it, and they were arrested by immigration.

Randy and Evi evaded extradition. Still, their US passports were revoked in 2011, and they were stranded in the Great White North. In 2013, Randy applied for Canadian citizenship but was denied. Authorities had had enough of Randy by 2013 and issued an arrest warrant for failing to check in with immigration officials. Randy went into hiding, of course. The Montreal Gazette reported that he was apprehended in May 2015, held in a detention center, placed before an immigration review board, and released on strict conditions.

Per The Globe and Mail, Randy was re-arrested in October 2015. He was hauled before immigration again, and Randy claimed he was ready to return to the US to face the music. ABC News 7 reported that a deportation order was issued, but Randy fled to Vermont. He was apprehended yet again after trying to illegally cross the border. Randy was eventually released and remains in Vermont. Randy popped up again in April 2021, saying he was considering a run for California governor despite his pending criminal case.