Danny Masterson Has Been Moved to Maximum Security Prison to Serve Out 30-Year Sentence for Rape
Danny Masterson has been moved to a maximum-security prison to serve out his 30-year sentence, Us Weekly can confirm.
Masterson, 47, was moved to Corcoran State Prison in Central California and will not be eligible for parole until July 2042. (Masterson is now in the same prison in which the late Charles Manson was held for years.)
The That '70s Show alum was sentenced to 30 years in prison in September 2023 after he was found guilty on two counts of rape. He filed for an appeal in November of that year.
Masterson was denied an appeal for bail earlier this month after a judge claimed that the actor has “has every incentive to flee” following his ongoing divorce from wife Bijou Phillips.
“If defendant’s conviction and sentence are upheld on appeal, he will likely remain in custody for decades and perhaps the rest of his life,” Judge Charlaine Olmedo said on January 24, noting that in light of his divorce, Masterson has “little reason to return to state prison to serve out the remainder of his lengthy sentence should his appeal be unsuccessful.”
Masterson was initially charged with three counts of rape in June 2020. At the time, he was released on $3.3 million bail and eventually pleaded not guilty to all charges.
“From day one, I have denied the outrageous allegations against me. Law enforcement investigated these claims more than 15 years ago and determined them to be without merit,” he told Us in a 2020 statement. “I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one. In this country, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, in the current climate, it seems as if you are presumed guilty the moment you are accused.”
Ahead of the trial, Masterson attempted to have the charges dismissed to no avail. The trial started in October 2022 and was ruled a mistrial the following month because of a deadlocked jury. The second trial kicked off in April 2023, where Masterson was ultimately found guilty.
Phillips filed for divorce from Masterson in September 2023 after his sentencing. Us confirmed the following month that the actor agreed to give his estranged wife full legal and physical custody of their daughter, Fianna, 9.
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Last month, Masterson’s mugshot was revealed as Us confirmed that he had been transferred to the North Kern State Prison in Delano, California.
When it comes to Masterson’s pending appeal, it’s unlikely that Masterson will win, attorney Neama Rahmani exclusively told Us in September 2023.
“It is very hard to win on appeal, and I don’t expect Danny Masterson to win,” the lawyer explained. “And the reason is this: [Danny’s] attorney said that he didn’t do it, but you generally can’t appeal a jury verdict when it’s a question of fact. So, [does the jury] believe Danny Masterson [or] do they believe the victims? And in this particular case, they believe two of the victims.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
