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By Amanda Castro
Associate News Editor
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Former child actor Bobb'e J. Thompson was sentenced this week to 30 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.
The case has renewed attention on the pressures and pitfalls that have followed some child stars into adulthood, with a number of former Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, film and sitcom actors facing arrests, criminal charges, probation, jail time or court supervision after achieving fame at a young age.
For Thompson, the sentence means more than two years behind bars followed by three years of supervised release as his case joins a long list of legal troubles involving former child entertainers whose careers later became intertwined with the criminal justice system.
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According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Iowa, authorities arrested Thompson after stopping a vehicle he was driving at 104 mph in a 70 mph zone in September 2025.
Investigators said officers recovered marijuana and a loaded stolen handgun from a backpack belonging to the actor. Thompson pleaded guilty in April and was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Leonard T. Strand.
Federal prosecutors noted that Thompson had previous convictions, including assault-related offenses and a prior firearm conviction.
Disney Channel Stars With Legal Trouble
Bobb’e J. Thompson
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Thompson appeared in 10 episodes of That's So Raven as Stanley and later built a career through projects including Wild 'N Out, House of Payne and various film roles.
His federal gun conviction represents his most serious legal development.
Orlando Brown
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Brown experienced years of highly publicized legal problems that included arrests connected to domestic disputes, narcotics possession allegations, trespassing incidents and court-related violations.
He has discussed his struggles with substance abuse and homelessness during media appearances, making his case one of the most visible examples of a former Disney child actor battling legal and personal issues after early success.
Shia LaBeouf
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LaBeouf, who rose to prominence on Even Stevens, has faced multiple arrests and legal controversies as an adult.
Most recently, he was sentenced in June after pleading guilty to simple battery charges stemming from a Mardi Gras altercation in New Orleans.
The actor previously faced arrests in Georgia and New York and was also the subject of a civil lawsuit brought by singer FKA twigs, which was later settled out of court.
Mitchel Musso
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Musso, best known for his role as Oliver on Hannah Montana, was arrested in Texas in 2023 on public intoxication and theft-related allegations, though the key charges were later dismissed.
Adam Hicks
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Zeke and Luther and Lemonade Mouth alum Hicks faced far more serious allegations, including armed robbery charges in California in 2018. He was sentenced to five years in prison in 2021 but was paroled in March 2022 after being credited for time served, according to TMZ.
He later spoke publicly about addiction, incarceration and recovery.
Anneliese van der Pol
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The That's So Raven actress pleaded no contest after a 2006 DUI arrest that occurred when she crashed into a parked vehicle, triggering a chain-reaction collision involving two other cars.
She was sentenced to probation, fined and ordered to complete an alcohol education program, later speaking publicly about her struggles with substance abuse and recovery
Debby Ryan
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The Jessie star was arrested after a 2016 traffic collision that resulted in a DUI case.
It was ultimately resolved through a plea to a reduced charge of reckless driving.
Nickelodeon Stars With Legal Trouble
Amanda Bynes
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Bynes (All That, The Amanda Show) remains one of the best-known examples of child stars who ran into legal trouble.
Between 2012 and 2014, she faced multiple driving-related cases, including a DUI arrest, hit-and-run allegations and charges connected to driving on a suspended license.
The period coincided with widely reported mental health struggles and a conservatorship that remained in place for nearly a decade.
Many of her legal matters were eventually resolved through plea agreements, dismissals or counseling requirements.
Drake Bell
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The Drake and Josh star's legal issues resulted in one of the most high-profile cases involving a former Nickelodeon actor. In 2021, he pleaded guilty to attempted child endangerment and disseminating material harmful to juveniles.
A court sentenced him to two years of probation and 200 hours of community service.
Bell later spoke publicly about the case and its impact on his life and career.
Child Movie Stars
Macaulay Culkin
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Culkin, best known for Home Alone, was arrested in Oklahoma in 2004 after authorities found marijuana and prescription medication in a vehicle.
He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drug charges and, in 2026, sought to have the decades-old record expunged.
Unlike many former child stars whose troubles became recurring headlines, Culkin's legal issues were relatively limited.
Lindsay Lohan
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Lohan's legal history became one of Hollywood's most closely watched celebrity sagas. Between 2007 and 2013, she faced multiple DUI arrests, probation violations, rehabilitation orders and court appearances.
The legal problems often overshadowed her acting career during that period and generated years of tabloid coverage.
Jake Lloyd
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Known for portraying young Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace, Lloyd experienced legal problems that his family later linked to severe mental illness and schizophrenia.
His best-known arrest followed a high-speed police chase in South Carolina in 2015. Family members have since said he has responded positively to treatment.
Edward Furlong
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Furlong, who became famous through Terminator 2: Judgment Day, faced repeated domestic violence allegations, probation violations and jail sentences during the early 2010s.
Beginning in 2001, Furlong was arrested twice in one day for driving without a license and driving under the influence. In the 2010s, he was arrested for violating a restraining order from his then-wife, Rachael Kneeland.
He also battled custody issues with ex-wife Rachael Bella and was then sentenced to 16 months in jail for violating his probation.
Haley Joel Osment
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Osment's legal troubles stem from a 2006 single-vehicle crash in Los Angeles County when he was 18. Authorities alleged that he was driving under the influence and in possession of marijuana when his car struck a brick pillar.
The actor later pleaded no contest to misdemeanor DUI and marijuana possession charges. The case generated widespread attention because it involved one of Hollywood's most recognizable former child stars at the height of his transition into adult roles. Osment received probation, alcohol rehabilitation requirements and fines.
The incident remained an isolated episode in an otherwise relatively quiet public life.
Tatum O'Neal
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O'Neal made history as the youngest competitive Oscar winner, receiving an Academy Award for Paper Moon at age 10.
Decades later, her struggles with addiction led to a highly publicized 2008 arrest in New York City after police alleged she purchased crack cocaine near her Manhattan apartment.
The actress subsequently entered a treatment-focused resolution and spoke openly about substance abuse issues that had affected various stages of her life.
TV Sitcom Child Stars
Darius McCrary
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McCrary, who played Eddie Winslow on Family Matters, was arrested in 2025 on a Michigan warrant tied to child-support matters and failure to appear in court.
He entered a no-contest plea and was released pending sentencing.
Todd Bridges
Known as Willis Jackson on Diff'rent Strokes, Bridges faced some of the most serious legal problems of any former child star.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, he dealt with drug addiction, weapons-related arrests and an attempted murder case that ended in acquittal.
Bridges has since spoken extensively about recovery and rebuilding his life after addiction.
Dana Plato
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In 1991, Plato, who played Kimberly Drummond on Diff'rent Strokes, was arrested after entering a Las Vegas video store with a pellet gun and demanding cash from employees.
She pleaded guilty and received probation. Plato died in 1999 at age 34 from an accidental drug overdose that was later ruled a suicide.
Zachery Ty Bryan
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Bryan, best known for portraying Brad Taylor on Home Improvement, has faced a string of legal problems in recent years, making him one of the highest-profile former child actors to encounter repeated interactions with law enforcement as an adult, starting in 2020 and continuing through November 2025.
Authorities have arrested Bryan multiple times on allegations related to domestic violence and assault-related incidents. He was sentenced to 16 months in jail in February after a DUI conviction that stemmed from an arrest in 2025.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Samantha Beech and Dave Siminoff.
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