Former child star Bobb’e J. Thompson is headed to federal prison after a 2025 traffic stop in Iowa escalated from a speeding investigation into a federal firearms case.

Thompson, best known to a generation of Disney Channel viewers for playing Stanley on “That’s So Raven,” was sentenced September 16 to 30 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.

U.S. District Judge Leonard T. Strand handed down the sentence in Sioux City, Iowa. Thompson, 30, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after completing his prison term.

He is currently being held in U.S. Marshals Service custody while awaiting transportation to a federal prison, according to prosecutors. There is no parole in the federal system.

The case traces back almost exactly one year to September 22, 2025, when authorities say Thompson was driving through Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, at 104 mph in a 70-mph zone.

What began as a traffic stop ultimately led officers to a fully loaded handgun that authorities determined had been reported stolen from a vehicle in Kansas City, Missouri.

Now Thompson is preparing to spend more than two years in federal custody — while one of his former Disney Channel co-stars is publicly making clear that he hasn’t abandoned him.

Prosecutors Say Thompson Was Driving 104 MPH

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa, law enforcement spotted a vehicle being driven by Thompson traveling 104 mph in a 70-mph zone on September 22, 2025.

Officers initiated a traffic stop.

Prosecutors say that as an officer exited his vehicle and approached, he saw Thompson and his passenger switching seats.

Authorities also reported smelling marijuana coming from inside the vehicle.

That led to a search.

Inside a backpack belonging to Thompson, officers found multiple bags of marijuana that prosecutors described as dispensary-bought. More significantly for the federal case that followed, investigators found a .40-caliber handgun.

The gun wasn’t unloaded.

According to federal prosecutors, it contained a fully loaded 15-round magazine and had another round in the chamber.

Investigators subsequently determined that the handgun had previously been reported stolen from a vehicle in Kansas City, Missouri.

Thompson is from Kansas City.

His Previous Convictions Made Possessing the Gun a Federal Crime

The discovery became particularly serious because Thompson was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Federal prosecutors pointed to several previous convictions when announcing his sentence.

His criminal history includes a 2020 conviction for battery with serious bodily injury and another 2020 conviction for assault with force, potentially resulting in great bodily injury.

He was also convicted in 2022 of prohibited possession of a firearm.

Those previous felony convictions meant Thompson could not legally possess the handgun authorities say they found during the Iowa traffic stop.

The case ultimately became a federal prosecution.

Thompson pleaded guilty on April 28, 2026, to possession of a firearm by a felon.

Several months later, he returned to federal court to learn his sentence.

Judge Gives Thompson 30 Months

Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Thompson to 30 months behind bars.

The sentence amounts to two and a half years in federal prison.

Once Thompson completes that term, he will still remain under federal supervision for another three years.

Federal prosecutors also noted that there is no parole in the federal prison system, although federal inmates can potentially receive applicable good-conduct credits and other authorized sentence reductions.

Thompson remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending his transfer to a federal correctional institution.

The government has not publicly identified which federal prison will house him.

The case was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department and Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Timmons prosecuted the case.

From Disney Channel to Federal Prison

For viewers who grew up watching Disney Channel during the 2000s, Thompson remains immediately recognizable as Stanley.

He appeared on “That’s So Raven” as the mischievous young character who had a crush on Raven Baxter, played by Raven-Symoné.

Stanley repeatedly crossed paths with Raven and her friends and became a memorable recurring character on the hugely successful Disney series.

Thompson was already an established child performer beyond the show.

His credits eventually included “30 Rock,” Tyler Perry’s “House of Payne” and MTV’s “Wild ’N Out.” On the big screen, he played Ronnie Shields in the 2008 comedy “Role Models,” appearing alongside Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott.

His career continued into adulthood, particularly through comedy.

But the federal sentence represents a dramatic turn for the former child star.

Kyle Massey Is Standing Behind Him

Thompson’s legal problems have now drawn a public response from someone who knew him during his Disney Channel years.

Kyle Massey, who played Raven’s younger brother Cory Baxter on “That’s So Raven,” spoke about Thompson after being approached at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday.

Massey’s message was supportive.

“Free Bobb’e J,” Massey said, while describing his former co-star as his brother.

Massey said Thompson still has people who love and support him and made clear that he intends to stand behind him while Thompson serves his sentence.

He also said that if Thompson needs something while incarcerated, he wants him to reach out.

The comments came only days after the federal sentence became public.

Massey Says He Didn’t See This Coming

Massey also reflected on the Thompson he knew while they were working together.

According to Massey, Thompson was intensely focused on acting and comedy.

He said he hadn’t noticed signs that would have led him to expect the legal problems that eventually resulted in Thompson’s federal prosecution.

That doesn’t change the facts of the criminal case or Thompson’s guilty plea.

But Massey’s remarks provide a glimpse at how people who knew Thompson professionally during his acting career are responding to his sentence.

Rather than distancing himself, Massey publicly emphasized their personal bond.

Thompson’s Case Is No Longer an Allegation

Unlike an arrest where criminal accusations remain unresolved, Thompson’s federal case has reached the sentencing stage.

He pleaded guilty.

The court imposed its sentence.

The 30-month prison term is therefore not simply something prosecutors are seeking or an allegation Thompson is fighting at trial.

The remaining question is where Thompson will serve that sentence and when the U.S. Marshals Service will transfer him there.

His three-year period of supervised release will begin after he completes the prison portion of his sentence.

A Traffic Stop Changed Everything

The circumstances that produced the case began with speed.

Authorities say Thompson was traveling 34 mph above the posted 70-mph limit when law enforcement stopped him in Cerro Gordo County.

But what officers discovered after initiating that stop ultimately became far more consequential than the speeding itself.

Prosecutors say Thompson and his passenger switched seats as an officer approached. They say officers smelled marijuana, searched the vehicle and discovered Thompson’s backpack.

Inside it was the loaded .40-caliber handgun that had been reported stolen in Kansas City.

Because Thompson’s prior felony convictions prohibited him from possessing that firearm, the discovery ultimately exposed him to federal prosecution.

Nearly seven months after the stop, Thompson admitted guilt.

Nearly a year after it, he received his sentence.

He Now Awaits Transfer to Federal Prison

For Thompson, the case has entered its final phase.

He remains in federal custody awaiting assignment and transportation to the facility where he will serve his sentence.

The actor who became recognizable to millions of viewers as Stanley on “That’s So Raven” is now facing 30 months behind bars, followed by three additional years under federal supervision.

But as Thompson prepares for prison, at least one familiar face from his Disney Channel past has made his position public.

Kyle Massey says Thompson is still his brother — and that he and others who care about him intend to remain in his corner while he serves his time.